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Ahmad M Eid, Ibraheem Istateyeh, Noura Salhi, Thaer Istateyeh Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, PalestineCorrespondence: Ahmad M EidPharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology Division, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, PalestineEmail ahmadeid@najah.eduPurpose: Fusidic acid (FA) and sodium fusidate (SF) have problems in their skin penetration and stability resulting in a reduction in their potency; therefore, the objective of this study was to develop FA and SF nanoemulgels to improve the antibacterial activity of the drugs.Methods: FA and SF nanoemulgel formulations were prepared by the incorporation of FA and SF nanoemulsions with Carbopol hydrogel. First, the drugs were screened for their solubility in different oils and surfactants to choose the suitable oil and surfactants for the drugs, and then the drug nanoemulsion formulations were prepared by a self-nanoemulsifying technique using Tween 80, Span 20 and pine oil. The drug nanoemulgels were evaluated for their particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), rheological behaviour, drug release and anti-microbial activity.Results: Based on the solubility test, pine oil was the best solubilising oil for both drugs, Tween 80 and Span 20 showed the highest solubilising ability for both the drugs among the surfactants; therefore, they were chosen as surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively. The optimum self-nanoemulsifying formulations showed a particle size for fusidic acid and Sodium fusidate of 140.58 nm and 151.86 nm respectively, and both showed a low PDI below 0.3. After incorporating both drug SNEDDS formulations with Carbopol at different concentrations, the results of the drugs particle size and PDI showed no significant difference. The zeta potential results for both drugs nanoemulgels showed a negative potential with more than 30 mV. All nanoemulgel formulations showed pseudo-plastic behaviour with the highest release pattern at 0.4% Carbopol. The antibacterial activity of both drug nanoemulgel formulations showed superiority over the market product.Conclusion: Nanoemulgel is a promising delivery system for FA and SF that helps in improving the stability and antibacterial activities of the drugs.Keywords: fusidic acid, sodium fusidate, nanoemulgel, pine oil, antibacterial activity

Mahmoud Mohamed Genaidy, Hosny Ahmed Zein, Ahmed Mostafa Eid Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt Purpose of the study: To evaluate efficacy, safety, and success rates of canaloplasty combined with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and visually significant cataract.Patients and methods: A prospective interventional noncomparative case series carried out in Minia University Hospital from April 2015 to October 2016 on 20 eyes of 18 patients who had visually significant cataract and primary OAG. All the cases had combined phacocanaloplasty. Preoperative best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and number of antiglaucoma medications were collected and compared to postoperative levels, and complications rates were recorded.Results: 20 eyes of 18 patients (5 males and 15 females), with a mean age 57.6 years (range 48–69 years), underwent phacocanaloplasty. Preoperative mean IOP was 25.20 ±1.009 mmHg. Postoperative IOP decreased to a mean of 14.20±0.9, 14.85±0.8, and 15.85±0.7 mmHG at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, with 37% reduction from preoperative IOP level at one year follow-up visit (P=0.0005). The number of antiglaucoma medications dropped from mean of 1.55 preoperatively to 0.35 postoperatively. LogMAR of best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.6950±0.07 preoperatively to 0.3670±0.056, 0.3460±0.056, and 0.03370±0.052 at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively (P=0.0005). Complications were limited to mild hyphemia (one case), mild corneal edema (one case), and mild inflammatory membrane (one case) that resolved in the first week after surgery.Conclusion: Canaloplasty combined with clear corneal phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation may be a safe and effective procedure to lower IOP in adult patients with OAG and visually significant cataract. Keywords: cataract, glaucoma, phacoemulsification, canaloplasty

Ahmad M Eid,1 Hesham A El-Enshasy,1 Ramlan Aziz,1 Nagib A Elmarzugi1,2 1Research and Innovation Department, Institute of Bioproduct Development, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia; 2Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tripoli University and Biotechnology Research Center, Libyan Authority for Research, Science and Technology (LARST), Tripoli, Libya Abstract: There is an increasing trend among pharmaceutical industries to use natural bioactive materials as medicinal agents and to use new technologies such as self-nanoemulsifying systems. The solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs can be enhanced by self-nanoemulsifying systems. Swietenia oil is frequently used because of its antimicrobial, antimutagenic, and anticancer bioactive medical properties. This study was conducted to develop self-nano­emulsifying systems for Swietenia oil that will enhance the anti-inflammatory activity of the oil. The self-emulsifying systems developed for Swietenia oil in this study were constructed using ternary phase diagrams and contained the nonionic surfactants Labrasol®, Tween 20, Capmul®, and Labrafil®. The effect of these surfactants on the formulation was examined. The mean droplet size of Swietenia oil as well as their distribution, appearance, viscosity, and spreading times were studied to find the optimum formula, which contained droplets that were less than 200 nm. The next step was to test the anti-inflammatory properties of the optimum formula using a carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test. The results from this test were compared to the oil solution. Different oil/surfactants mixtures had various emulsification properties that were related to the size of their droplets. Tween 20 is a good surfactant to use in self-emulsifying systems because it produces droplets of nano-size. Mixtures of Capmul/Labrasol at a ratio of 2:1 and Labrafil/Tween 20 at a ratio of 1:2 were able to produce self-nanoemulsifying formulations containing Swietenia oil concentrations that ranged from 20%–50%. Nanoemulsion occurred when the size of the droplets fell below 200 nm with low size distribution (

This paper seeks to demonstrate the concept of digital democracy and its ability to form attitudes and trends in public opinion and it also deals with the opportunities available for digital democracy to activate participatory democracy in the Palestinian territories and it also sheds light on the reality and challenges of digital democracy there. The study uses both the analytical descriptive and the historical approaches. The study concludes that Palestinian citizens lost their confidence in their appointed representatives due to the lack of practical mechanisms that stimulate the processes of participation. Because of that, the media and communication technology tools in Palestine have transformed among the citizens into a space for the exchange of ideas and information, as well as a space for dialogue and debate, and for raising issues of wide popular interest, far from the formal and traditional frameworks.

We investigated the hypoglycemic activity and pharmacokinetic study of two synthesized benzoyl benzodioxol derivatives, compound I (methyl 2-(6-(2-bromobenzoyl)benzo[ d ][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)acetate), and compound II, 2-(6-benzoylbenzo[ d ][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)acetic acid, which showed very strong α-amylase inhibiting activity in our previous study. Then, diabetes was induced by the injection of streptozotocin to mice. The molecular docking simulations and analyses of density functional theory analyses were conducted to study the binding interactions with human pancreatic alpha-amylase, and their pharmacokinetic properties were further evaluated by ADMET profiling. Compound I showed the most important hypoglycemic effect, decreasing the blood glucose by 32.4%, higher than that of compound II by 14.8% and even the positive control acarbose by 22.9%. Histopathological examination revealed that diabetic livers showed portal inflammation with some apoptotic hepatocytes due to streptozotocin treatment, whereas controls without any treatment maintained normal liver architecture. Molecular docking studies gave results for the best binding affinity of the compound I, through its strong water bridges and π-π interactions, and also through analysis with density functional theory, was more stable and reactive when compared to compound II. Further ADMET analysis showed that both compounds shared a promising pharmacokinetic profile, and compound I had the potential for CNS penetration. Thus, compound I was selected as the best candidate for developing new hypoglycemic agents with potent efficacy, good binding interactions, and excellent pharmacokinetic properties., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

The aim of this study is to develop safe biological methods for controlling fungal deterioration of historical manuscripts. Therefore, fifteen fungal isolates were obtained from paper sheets and leather skins of a deteriorated historical manuscript (dated back to the 13th century). Those isolates were identified using both traditional methods and ITS-sequencing analysis. Aspergillus niger accounted for seven strains, Penicillium citrinum for one strain, Aspergillus flavus for three, Aspergillus fumigatus for one, Aspergillus nidulans for one, and Penicillium chrysogenum for two of the fungal strains that were obtained. The ability of fungal strains for the secretion of cellulase, amylase, gelatinase, and pectinase as hydrolytic enzymes was evaluated. The capability of the probiotic-bacterial strain Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 20174 for inhibition of fungal strains that cause severe deterioration was studied using ethyl acetate-extract. The metabolic profile of the ethyl acetate-extract showed the presence of both high- and low-molecular-weight active compounds as revealed by GC-MS analysis. The safe dose to prevent fungal growth was determined by testing the ethyl acetate extract's biocompatibility against Wi38 and HFB4 as normal cell lines. The extract was found to have a concentration-dependent cytotoxic impact on Wi38 and HFB4, with IC 50 values of 416 ± 4.5 and 349.7 ± 5.9 μg mL -1 , respectively. It was suggested that 100 μg mL -1 as a safe concentration could be used for paper preservation. Whatman filter paper treated with ethyl acetate extract was used to cultivate the fungal strain Penicillium citrinum AX2. According to data analysis, fungal inhibition measurement, SEM, ATR-FT-IR, XRD, color change measurement, and mechanical property assessment, the recommended concentration of ethyl acetate extract was adequate to protect paper inoculated with the highest enzymatic producer fungi, P. citrinum AX2., (Copyright © 2024 British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a tree of the Punicaceae family that is widespread all over the world and has several types and therapeutic uses. The current study aimed to investigate the phytochemical compounds by GC analysis and carried out physical characterization of the pomegranate seed oil and its self-nanoemulsifying system. Then antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-lipase activities were investigated for both.The pomegranate seed oil was extracted, and its self-nanoemulsifying system was then prepared. Phytochemical compounds were analyzed by GC, and physical characterization was established of the pomegranate seed oil and its self-nanoemulsifying system. Then antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-lipase activities were investigated for both.The GC-MS analysis revealed that punicic acid, β-eleosteric acid, catalpic acid, α-eleosteric acid, and oleic acid were the most predominant compounds in pomegranate seed oil. Other active compounds like linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and α-linolenic acid were detected in trace percentages. The self-nanoemulsifying system was prepared using various concentrations of surfactant (Tween 80), co-surfactant (Span 80), and pomegranate seed oil. The selected formulation had a PDI of 0.229 ± 0.09 and a droplet size of 189.44 ± 2.1 nm. The free radical scavenging activity of pomegranate seed oil, the self-emulsifying system, and Trolox was conducted using DPPH. The oil-self-nanoemulsifying system showed potent antioxidant activity compared to Trolox. Also, pomegranate oil inhibited α-amylase with a weak IC 50 value of 354.81 ± 2.3 µg/ml. The oil self-nanoemulsifying system showed potent activity compared to acarbose and had a weaker IC 50 value (616.59 ± 2.1 µg/ml) and a potent IC 50 value (43.65 ± 1.9 µg/ml) compared to orlistat.Pomegranate seed oil self-nanoemulsifying system could be applied in the future for the preparation of possible oral medications for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress, diabetes, and obesity due to its high activity against free radical, amylase, and lipase enzymes compared to pomegranate seed oil itself and the references used. This study reveals that self-nanoemulsion systems can enhance oil drug formulations by improving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, acting as drug reservoirs, and facilitating efficient oil release., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to pose a major global health challenge. HIV entry into host cells via membrane fusion mediated by the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120/gp41 is a key step in the HIV life cycle. CCR5, expressed on CD4+ T cells and macrophages, acts as a coreceptor facilitating HIV-1 entry. The CCR5 antagonist maraviroc is used to treat HIV infection. However, it can cause adverse effects and has limitations such as only inhibiting CCR5-tropic viruses. There remains a need to develop alternative CCR5 inhibitors with improved safety profiles., Problem Statement: Natural products may offer advantages over synthetic inhibitors including higher bioavailability, binding affinity, effectiveness, lower toxicity, and molecular diversity. However, screening the vast chemical space of natural compounds to identify novel CCR5 inhibitors presents challenges. This study aimed to address this gap through a hybrid ligand-based pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking approach to virtually screen large natural product databases., Methods: A reliable pharmacophore model was developed based on 311 known CCR5 antagonists and validated against an external data set. Five natural product databases containing over 306,000 compounds were filtered based on drug-likeness rules. The validated pharmacophore model screened the databases to identify 611 hits. Key residues of the CCR5 receptor crystal structure were identified for docking. The top hits were docked, and interactions were analyzed. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to examine complex stability. Computational prediction evaluated pharmacokinetic properties., Results: Three compounds exhibited similar interactions and binding energies to maraviroc. MD simulations demonstrated complex stability comparable to maraviroc. One compound showed optimal predicted absorption, minimal metabolism, and a lower likelihood of interactions than maraviroc., Conclusion: This computational screening workflow identified three natural compounds with promising CCR5 inhibition and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles. One compound emerged as a lead based on bioavailability potential and minimal interaction risk. These findings present opportunities for developing alternative CCR5 antagonists and warrant further experimental investigation. Overall, the hybrid virtual screening approach proved effective for mining large natural product spaces to discover novel molecular entities with drug-like properties.

This study explores the realm of personalized medicine by investigating the utilization of 3D-printed dosage forms, specifically focusing on patient-specific enteric capsules designed for the modified release of ketoprofen, serving as a model drug. The research investigates two distinct scenarios: the modification of drug release from 3D-printed capsules crafted from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate:polyethylene glycol (HPMCP:PEG) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), tailored for pH sensitivity and delayed release modes, respectively. Additionally, a novel ketoprofen-loaded self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) based on pomegranate seed oil (PSO) was developed, characterized, and employed as a fill material for the capsules. Through the preparation and characterization of the HPMCP:PEG based filament via the hot-melt extrusion method, the study thoroughly investigated its thermal and mechanical properties. Notably, the in vitro drug release analysis unveiled the intricate interplay between ketoprofen release, polymer type, and capsule thickness. Furthermore, the incorporation of ketoprofen into the SNEDDS exhibited an enhancement in its in vitro cylooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitory activity. These findings collectively underscore the potential of 3D printing in shaping tailored drug delivery systems, thereby contributing significantly to the advancement of personalized medicine.

Chitosan (CH) exhibits low antimicrobial activity. This study addresses this issue by modifying the chitosan with a sulfonamide derivative, 3-(4-(N,N-dimethylsulfonyl)phenyl)acrylic acid. The structure of the sulfonamide-chitosan derivative (DMS-CH) was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Nuclear magnetic resonance. The results of scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction indicated that the morphology changed to a porous nature, the thermal stability decreased, and the crystallinity increased in the DMS-CH derivative compared to chitosan, respectively. The degree of substitution was calculated from the elemental analysis data and was found to be moderate (42%). The modified chitosan exhibited enhanced antimicrobial properties at low concentrations, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50 µg/mL observed for B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa, and a value of 25 µg/mL for S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. In the case of native chitosan, the MIC values doubled or more, with 50 µg/mL recorded for E. coli and C. albicans and 100 μg/mL recorded for B. subtilis, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, toxicological examinations conducted on MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines demonstrated that DMS-CH exhibited greater toxicity (IC50 = 225.47 μg/mL) than pure CH, while still maintaining significant safety limits against normal lung fibroblasts (WI-38). Collectively, these results suggest the potential use of the newly modified chitosan in biomedical applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Herein, the prospective applications of green fabricated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) within the biomedical field were investigated. The leaf aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea L., a safe, cheap, and green method, was used to fabricate Ag-NPs. The maximum plasmon resonance of synthesized NPs has appeared at 420 nm. The various biomolecules present in the plant extract to assemble spherical Ag-NPs with sizes of 5-40 nm were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared and transmission electron microscopy. The Ag was the major content of the formed Ag-NPs with an atomic percent of 54.95% and weight percent of 65.86%, as indicated by EDX. The crystallographic structure of synthesized NPs was confirmed by the diffraction of the X-ray. The dynamic light scattering exhibits the homogeneity and mono-dispersity nature with a polydispersity index of 0.37 in the colloidal fluid and a zeta potential value of -36 mV. The synthesized Ag-NPs exhibited promising antimicrobial efficacy toward various prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogenic microorganisms with low MIC values of 12.5 µg mL -1 and 6.25 µg mL -1 , respectively. Additionally, the P. oleracea -formed Ag-NPs showed optimistic antioxidant activity assessed by DPPH and H 2 O 2 assay methods with the highest scavenging percentages of 88.5 ± 2.3% and 76.5 ± 1.7%, respectively, at a concentration of 200 µg mL -1 . Finally, the biosynthesized Ag-NPs showed high antiviral properties toward the hepatitis A virus and Cox-B4 with inhibition percentages of 79.16 ± 0.5% and 73.59 ± 0.8%, respectively. Overall, additional research is essential to explore the Ag-NP-based aqueous extract of P. oleracea for human health. In the current investigation the use of synthesized Ag-NPs as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiviral agents to protect against pathogenic microbes, degenerative diseases caused by various oxidative stresses, and deadly viruses is recommended.

Background: The use of naturally occurring bioactive materials is getting great attention owing to their safety and environmental properties. Oily compounds, known as oleoresins, are expected to provide an important source for the natural products industry aiming to develop novel treatments for skin conditions. In this work, Capsicum annuum oleoresin nanoemulgel formulations have been prepared and investigated for their antibacterial and anticancer properties., Methodology: Several C. annuum oleoresin nanoemulgel formulations were prepared by incorporating a Carbopol 940 gel in a self-nanoemulsifying nanoemulsion consisting of C. annuum , tween 80, and span 80. The systems were characterized for particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and rheology. The in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of the optimum formulation were evaluated., Results: The selected formulation is composed of 40% tween, 10% span 80, and 40% C. annuum oleoresin. This formulation produced a stable nanoemulsion with a narrow PDI value of 0.179 ± 0.08 and a droplet size of 104.0 ± 2.6 nm. Results of the in vitro antimicrobial studies indicated high potency of the systems against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (zone of inhibition of 29 ± 1.9 mm), E. coli (33 ± 0.9 mm), K. pneumonia (30 ± 1.4 mm), and C. albicans (21 ± 1.5 mm), as compared to the reference antibiotic, ampicillin (18 ± 1.4 mm against K. pneumonia ), and antifungal agent, fluconazole (12 ± 0.1 mm against C. albicans ). Furthermore, cytotoxicity results, expressed as IC 50 values, revealed that the oleoresin and its nanoemulgel had the best effects against the HepG2 cell line (IC 50 value of 79.43 μg/mL for the nanoemulgel) and MCF7 (IC 50 value of 57.54 μg/mL), and the most potent effect was found against 3T3 (IC 50 value of 45.7 μg/m- L). On the other side, the system did not substantially exhibit activity against By-61 and Hela., Conclusion: C. annuum oleoresin and its nanoemulgel can be considered valuable sources for the discovery of new antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer compounds in the pharmaceutical industry, especially due to their potent activity against various cancer cell lines as well as bacterial and fungal strains., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Cytochrome P4A11 (CYP4A11) is a member of cytochrome p450 family, which is involved in arachidonic acid metabolism that participates in promoting malignant cell proliferation, progression, and angiogenetic capacity. Carbonic Anhydrase 9 (CAIX) is a transmembrane protein that plays an integral part in regulating hypoxia which affects cancer cell metabolism, proliferation and promotes metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of CYP4A11, CAIX and ki67 in RCC subtypes in relation to clinicopathological parameters and to evaluate the diagnostic significance of CYP4A11 and CAIX in differentiating renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtypes., Materials and Methods: one hundred primary RCC cases, collected from Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University and from private laboratories, were evaluated for immunohistochemical expression of CYP4A11, CAIX and ki67., Results: CYP4A11 was expressed in 59% of RCC; with 91.7% sensitivity and 90% specificity in differentiating clear cell and non-clear cell subtypes. CAIX was expressed in 50% of RCC; with 95% sensitivity, 80% specificity. High expression of CYP4A11 was statistically positively associated with higher tumor grade, high expression of CAIX was statistically positively associated with lower tumor grade and absence of necrosis and high ki67 labeling index was significantly associated with clear cell subtype, larger tumor sizes, higher tumor grade, advanced tumor stage, fat invasion and vascular invasion., Conclusions: CYP4A11 and CAIX can be used as diagnostic markers to differentiate clear cell RCC from other subtypes. CYP4A11 is more diagnostically accurate and specific than CAIX. High expression of CYP4A11, low CAIX expression and high ki67 labeling index were related to features of aggressive tumor behavior., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Authors declared that there are no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Middle Jurassic reservoirs present challenges in the northern segment of the Western Desert due to geometric uncertainties arising from structural configurations, lateral facies variations, diverse lithologies, and heterogeneous reservoir quality. Consequently, this study employed an intricate approach, constructing detailed 3D geostatic models by amalgamating diverse datasets, including 2D seismic sections and digital well-logs. The focus of these 3D models was on the Khatatba Formation (Upper-Safa Member, Kabrit Member, and Lower-Safa Member) in Matruh-Shushan Basin in the North Western Desert. The objectives encompassed assessing hydrocarbon potential, precisely estimating reserves, formulating development and exploration strategies, and identifying prospective drilling locations. The resultant structural model revealed a compartmentalized region marked by major and minor NE-SW trending normal faults, establishing structurally advantageous locations for hydrocarbon trapping within the study area. Petrophysical analyses highlighted the promising potential of the Upper-Safa Member as a reservoir, featuring porosity values ranging from 10 to 18%, peaking in the northeast sector, volume of shale (Vsh) between 15 and 24%, water saturation (Sw) spanning from 18 to 53%, and increased sand thickness towards the eastern section. Similarly, the Lower-Safa Member demonstrated favorable reservoir attributes, including porosity values ranging from 10 to 16%, with higher values in the southeastern part, Vsh between 17 and 28%, and Sw varying from 15 to 47%. The study findings underscored the hydrocarbon potential in the northeast block of the study area for the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation. These insights contribute valuable information for decision-making in exploration and production endeavors within the basin., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Baltim Eastern and Northern gas fields in the offshore Nile Delta have very high gas condensate accumulations. Therefore, the present research evaluates Abu Madi and Qawasim Formations and defines the petrophysical parameters for them using various data from five wells composed of wireline logs (gamma-ray, density, neutron, sonic, resistivity), core data, pressure data, and cross-plots. In the current study, the formations of the main reservoirs were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively based on the petrophysical analysis to assess the production potential. Based on the lithological identification, the two main reservoirs (Abu Madi and Qawasim Formations) are composed of sandstone, calcareous shale, and siltstone. The main petrophysical parameters (Shale volume, effective porosity, net thickness, and fluid saturations) were mapped to track the areal petrophysical variations in the field. The results of the petrophysical analysis reveal that the main reservoirs are promising for the hydrocarbon potential with effective porosity of 18%, low shale content with an average value of about 21%, higher gas saturation of average value of nearly 58%, net reservoir thickness ranges from 25.5 to 131.5 m, net pay thickness (effective thickness) ranges from 6 to 61 m. Also, the conventional core analysis affirms that the main reservoirs are of good effective porosity with high horizontal and vertical permeability values. There is a good match between the well-log results and the pressure data with the production data (DST "perforation tests"). Baltim East (BE3) well has the most desired petrophysical characteristics in the Baltim East gas field, while, the Baltim North-1 (BN1) well showed the most favorable petrophysical parameters in the Baltim North gas field. Different fluid contacts (gas water contact GWC) were detected by integrating all reservoir pressures. The integration of different data in our present work (well logs, core measurements, and pressure data) could reduce the drilling risks and help to determine the best locations for future exploration and development, which is considered a big challenge in the petroleum industry., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The use of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in consumer products has increased dramatically. Accordingly, human exposure to these NPs has increased. Lactobacillus reuteri , a member of the beneficial gut microbiota, is essential for human health. In the present study, the toxic effect of three metal oxides (CuO, ZnO, and CdO) and one metal (Ag) NPs on L. reuteri were investigated in vitro. L. reuteri was susceptible to all the prepared NPs in a dose-dependent manner, visualized as an increase in the zones of inhibition and a significant reduction in the maximum specific growth rates ( µ max ). The minimal inhibitory concentrations were 5.8, 26, 560, and 560 µg/mL for CdO-, Ag-, ZnO-, and CuO-NPs, respectively, and the respective minimal bactericidal concentrations were 60, 70, 1500, and 1500 µg/mL. Electron microscopic examinations revealed the adsorption of the prepared NPs on L. reuteri cell surface, causing cell wall disruption and morphological changes. These changes were accompanied by significant leakage of cellular protein content by 214%, 191%, 112%, and 101% versus the untreated control when L. reuteri was treated with CdO-, Ag-, CuO-, and ZnO-NPs, respectively. NPs also induced oxidative damage, where the malondialdehyde level was significantly increased, and glutathione content was significantly decreased. Quantifying the DNA damage using comet assay showed that CuONPs had the maximum DNA tail length (8.2 px vs. 2.1 px for the control). While CdONPs showed the maximum percentage of DNA in tail (15.5% vs. 3.1%). This study provides a mechanistic evaluation of the NPs-mediated toxicity to a beneficial microorganism.

Exploring the carcinogenic mechanisms of lung carcinoma helps to discover novel prognostic biomarkers and develop new therapeutic options to improve patient's survival. Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-Like Orphan Receptor 1 (ROR1), a transmembrane protein, contributes to cancer progression and metastasis; via stimulation of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotion of angiogenesis. This makes ROR1 an important target for tumor therapy. This study aimed to evaluate expression of ROR1, E-cadherin (a marker of EMT), and D2-40 (a marker of lymphangiogenesis) in lung carcinoma and associate their expressions with the available clinicopathological parameters and patients' survival. Immunohistochemical staining using ROR1, E-cadherin, and D2-40 was performed for 78 cases of lung carcinoma. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox-regression analysis were done. High ROR1 expression was detected in 46.2% of cases. Significant relations were found between high ROR1 expression and larger tumor size (P < 0.001), poorly differentiated tumors (P = 0.001), advanced tumor stages (P < 0.001), positive lymph nodal status (P < 0.001), decreased E-cadherin expression (P < 0.001), and high lymphovascular density (LVD) (P < 0.001). Patients' progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were shorter with high ROR1 expression. High ROR1 expression, high LVD, large tumor size, and adenocarcinoma histopathological type were independent risk factors for OS in lung carcinoma patients. High ROR1 expression is associated with poor prognostic parameters in lung carcinoma patients including higher grade, advanced stages, high LVD, epithelial mesenchymal transition, as well as decreased PFS and OS., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The main hypothesis of the present research is investigating the efficacy of titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 -NPs) to prevent the growth of fungal strains when applied on leather under an experimental study. Therefore, fifteen fungal strains were isolated from a deteriorated historical manuscript (papers and leathers) and identified by traditional methods and ITS sequence analysis, including Aspergillus chevalieri (one isolate), A. nidulans (two strains), A. flavus (four strains), A. cristatus (one strain), A. niger (one strain), Paecilomyces fulvus (two strains), Penicillium expansum (two strains), and P. citrinum (two strains). The enzymes cellulase, amylase, pectinase, and gelatinase, which play a crucial role in biodegradation, were highly active in these fungal strains. TiO 2 -NPs were formed using the cell-free filtrate of the probiotic bacterial strain, Lactobacillus plantarum , and characterized. Data showed that the TiO 2 -NPs were successfully formed with a spherical shape and anatase phase with sizes of 2-8 nm. Moreover, the EDX analysis revealed that the Ti and O ions occupied the main component with weight percentages of 41.66 and 31.76%, respectively. The in vitro cytotoxicity of TiO 2 -NPs toward two normal cell lines, WI38 and HFB4, showed a low toxicity effect against normal cells (IC 50 = 114.1 ± 8.1µg mL -1 for Wi38, and 237.5 ± 3.5µg mL -1 for HFB4). Therefore, concentrations of 100 μg mL -1 were used to load on prepared leather samples before inoculation with fungal strain P. expansum AL1. The experimental study revealed that the loaded TiO 2 -NPs have the efficacy to inhibit fungal growth with percentages of 73.2 ± 2.5%, 84.2 ± 1.8%, and 88.8 ± 0.6% after 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively. Also, the analyses including SEM, FTIR-ART, color change, and mechanical properties for leather inoculated with fungal strain AL1 in the absence of NPs showed high damage aspects compared to those inoculated with fungal strains in the presence of TiO 2 -NPs.

This work reports the synthesis of a new pyrazole derivative by reacting 5-amino-1,3-diphenyl pyrazole with succinic anhydride and bearing the product chemically on the chitosan chains via amide linkage to achieve a new chitosan derivative (DPPS-CH). The prepared chitosan derivative was analyzed by IR, NMR, elemental analysis, XRD, TGA-DTG, and SEM. As compared with chitosan, DPPS-CH showed an amorphous and porous structure. Coats-Redfern results showed that the thermal activation energy for the first decomposition of DPPS-CH is 43.72 KJ mol -1 lower than that required for chitosan (88.32 KJ mol -1 ), indicating the accelerating effect of DPPS on the thermal decomposition of DPPS-CH. The DPPS-CH manifested a powerful wide spectrum antimicrobial potential against pathogenic gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans at minute concentrations (MIC = 50 μg mL -1 ) compared to chitosan (MIC = 100 μg mL -1 ). The MTT assay proved the toxic properties of DPPS-CH against a cancer cell line (MCF-7) at a minute concentration (IC50 = 15.14 μg mL -1 ) while affecting normal cells (WI-38) at seven times this concentration (IC50 = 107.8 μg mL -1 ). According to the current findings, the chitosan derivative developed in this work appears to be a promising material for use in biological domains., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective . To study the photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveforms of different locations (ear and finger) during lower body negative pressure (LBNP) induced hypovolemia. Then, to determine whether the PPG waveform can be used to detect hypovolemia during the early stage of LBNP. Approach . 36 healthy volunteers were recruited for progressive LBNP induced hypovolemia, with an endpoint of -60 mmHg or development of hypoperfusion symptoms, whichever comes first. Subjects tolerating the entire protocol without symptoms were designated as high tolerance (HT), while symptomatic subjects were designated as low tolerance (LT). Subjects were monitored with an electrocardiogram, continuous noninvasive blood pressure monitor, and two pulse oximetry probes, one on the ear (Xhale) and one the finger (Nellcor). Stroke volume was measured non-invasively utilizing Non-Invasive Cardiac Output Monitor (NICOM, Cheetah Medical). The waveform morphology was analyzed using novel PPG waveforms indices, including phase hemodynamic index (PHI) and amplitude hemodyamaic index and were evaluated from the ear PPG and finger PPG at different LBNP stages. Main results . The PHI, particularly the phase relationship between the second harmonic and the fundamental component of the ear PPG denoted as∇φ2,during the early stage of LBNP (-15 mmHg) in the HT and LT groups is statistically significantly different ( p value = 0.0033) with the area under curve 0.81 (CI: 0.616-0.926). The other indices are not significantly different. The 5 fold cross validation shows that∇φ2during the early stage of LBNP (-15 mmHg) as the single index could predict the tolerance of the subject with the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and F 1 as 0.771 ± 0.192, 0.71 ± 0.107, 0.7 ± 0.1 and 0.771 ± 0.192 respectively. Significance . The ear's PPG PHI which compares the phases of the fundamental and second harmonic has the potential to be used as an early predictor of central hypovolemia., (© 2023 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.)

Background: Many modern pharmaceutical researchers continue to focus on the discovery and evaluation of natural compounds for possible therapies for obesity, diabetes, infections, cancer, and oxidative stress. Extraction of Ocimum basilicum seed essential oil and evaluation of its antioxidant, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and cytotoxic activities were the goals of the current study., Method: O. basilicum seed essential oil was extracted and evaluated for its anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic properties utilizing standard biomedical assays., Results: O. basilicum seed essential oil showed good anticancer activity against Hep3B (IC 50 56.23 ± 1.32 µg/ml) and MCF-7 (80.35 ± 1.17 µg/ml) when compared with the positive control, Doxorubicin. In addition, the essential oil showed potent antibacterial (against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal (against Candida albicans) activities. Moreover, as for the anti-amylase test, IC 50 was 74.13 ± 1.1 µg/ml, a potent effect compared with the IC 50 of acarbose, which was 28.10 ± 0.7 µg/ml. On the other hand, for the anti-lipase test, the IC 50 was 112.20 ± 0.7 µg/ml a moderate effect compared with the IC 50 of orlistat, which was 12.30 ± 0.8 µg/ml. Finally, the oil had a potent antioxidant effect with an IC 50 of 23.44 ± 0.9 µg/ml compared with trolox (IC 50 was 2.7 ± 0.5 µg/ml)., Conclusion: This study has provided initial data that supports the importance of O. basilcum essential oil in traditional medicine. The extracted oil not only exhibited significant anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties but also antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects, which provided a foundation for future research., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Staphylococcus aureus causes a wide range of illnesses, from skin infections and persistent bone infections to life-threatening septicemia and endocarditis. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common bacteria that cause nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Clindamycin is one of the most effective treatments for several bacterial infections. Despite this, these infections may develop inducible clindamycin resistance during treatment, leading to treatment failure. This study determined the incidence of inducible clindamycin resistance among S. aureus clinical isolates. A total of 800 S. aureus strains were identified from clinical samples collected from several university hospitals in Egypt. All isolates were examined for the presence of MRSA using cefoxitin (30 μg) and the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion technique. The induction phenotypes of all 800 S. aureus strains were evaluated using the disk approximation test (D test), as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute. Of the 800 strains of S. aureus, 540 (67.5%) were identified as MRSA and 260 (32.5%) were classified as methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). In MRSA infections, clindamycin constitutive and inducible resistance was more frequent than in MSSA infections (27.8% versus 11.5% and 38.9% versus 15.4%, respectively). Clindamycin-sensitive strains were more prevalent in MSSA (53.8%) than in MRSA (20.4%) infections. In conclusion, the frequency of constitutive and inducible clindamycin resistance in MRSA isolates emphasizes the need to use the D test in routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing to evaluate clindamycin susceptibility, as the inducible resistance phenotype can inhibit the action of clindamycin and thus affect treatment efficacy.

Herein, four endophytic fungal strains living in healthy roots of garlic were used to produce selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) via green synthesis. Penicillium verhagenii was found to be the most efficient Se-NPs producer with a ruby red color that showed maximum surface plasmon resonance at 270 nm. The as-formed Se-NPs were crystalline, spherical, and well-arranged without aggregation, and ranged from 25 to 75 nm in size with a zeta potential value of -32 mV, indicating high stability. Concentration-dependent biomedical activities of the P. verhagenii-based Se-NPs were observed, including promising antimicrobial activity against different pathogens (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 12.5-100 µg mL -1 . The biosynthesized Se-NPs showed high antioxidant activity with DPPH-scavenging percentages of 86.8 ± 0.6% at a concentration of 1000 µg mL -1 and decreased to 19.3 ± 4.5% at 1.95 µg mL -1 . Interestingly, the Se-NPs also showed anticancer activity against PC3 and MCF7 cell lines with IC 50 of 225.7 ± 3.6 and 283.8 ± 7.5 µg mL -1 , respectively while it is remaining biocompatible with normal WI38 and Vero cell lines. Additionally, the green synthesized Se-NPs were effective against instar larvae of a medical insect, Aedes albopictus with maximum mortality of 85.1 ± 3.1, 67.2 ± 1.2, 62.10 ± 1.4, and 51.0 ± 1.0% at a concentration of 50 µg mL -1 for I, II, III, and IV-instar larva, respectively. These data highlight the efficacy of endophytic fungal strains for cost-effective and eco-friendly Se-NPs synthesis with different applications., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Herein, twelve fungal strains were isolated from a deteriorated historical manuscript dated back to the 18th century. The obtained fungal strains were identified, using the traditional method and ITS sequence analysis, as Cladosporium herbarum (two strains), Aspergillus fumigatus (five strains), A. ustus (one strain), A. flavus (two strains), A. niger (one strain), and Penicillium chrysogenum (one strain). The ability of these fungal strains to degrade the main components of the paper was investigated by their activity to secrete extracellular enzymes including cellulase, amylase, gelatinase, and pectinase. The cell-free filtrate (CFF) ability of the probiotic bacterial strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC-7469 to inhibit fungal growth was investigated. The metabolic profile of CFF was detected by GC-MS analysis, which confirmed the low and high molecular weight of various active chemical compounds. The safe dose to be used for the biocontrol of fungal growth was selected by investigating the biocompatibility of CFF and two normal cell lines, Wi38 (normal lung tissue) and HFB4 (normal human skin melanocyte). Data showed that the CFF has a cytotoxic effect against the two normal cell lines at high concentrations, with IC 50 values of 525.2 ± 9.8 and 329.1 ± 4.2 µg mL -1 for Wi38 and HFB4, respectively. The antifungal activity showed that the CFF has promising activity against all fungal strains in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest antifungal activity (100%) was recorded for a concentration of 300 µg mL -1 with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) in the ranges of 21.3 ± 0.6 to 17.7 ± 0.5 mm. At a concentration of 100 µg mL -1 , the activity of CFF remained effective against all fungal strains (100%), but its effectiveness decreased to only inhibit the growth of eight strains (66%) out of the total at 50 µg mL -1 . In general, probiotic bacterial strains containing CFF are safe and can be considered as a potential option for inhibiting the growth of various fungal strains. It is recommended that they be used in the preservation of degraded historical papers.

The peel aqueous extract of Punica granatum was utilized to fabricate zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as a green approach. The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy, which was attached to an energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX). Spherical, well arranged, and crystallographic structures of ZnO-NPs were formed with sizes of 10-45 nm. The biological activities of ZnO-NPs, including antimicrobial and catalytic activity for methylene blue dye, were assessed. Data analysis showed that the antimicrobial activity against pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as unicellular fungi, was observed to occur in a dose-dependent manner, displaying varied inhibition zones and low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the ranges of 6.25-12.5 µg mL -1 . The degradation efficacy of methylene blue (MB) using ZnO-NPs is dependent on nano-catalyst concentration, contact time, and incubation condition (UV-light emission). The maximum MB degradation percentages of 93.4 ± 0.2% was attained at 20 µg mL -1 after 210 min in presence of UV-light. Data analysis showed that there is no significant difference between the degradation percentages after 210, 1440, and 1800 min. Moreover, the nano-catalyst showed high stability and efficacy to degrade MB for five cycles with decreasing values of 4%. Overall, P. granatum -based ZnO-NPs are promising tools to inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes and degradation of MB in the presence of UV-light emission.

Miconazole is a synthetic derivative of imidazole, a medication with a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that is used to treat localized vaginal, skin, and nail infections. The aim of the study was to develop an innovative technique to improve the permeability and efficacy of topical miconazole nitrate. A nanoemulgel of miconazole nitrate was formulated by the incorporation of a nanoemulsion and a hydrogel. The nanoemulsion was first optimized using a self-emulsifying technique, and the drug was then loaded into the optimum formulation and evaluated prior to mixing with the hydrogel. Miconazole nitrate nanoemulgel formulations were evaluated for their physical characteristics and antifungal activity. Based on the results, the formulation with 0.4 % Carbopol showed the highest release profile (41.8 mg/ml after 2 h); thus, it was chosen as the optimum formulation. A cell diffusion test was performed to examine the ability of the Miconazole nitrate nanoemulgel to penetrate the skin and reach the bloodstream. Percentage cumulative drug releases of 29.67 % and 23.79 % after 6 h were achieved for the MNZ nanoemulgel and the commercial cream, Daktazol, respectively. The antifungal activity of the novel MNZ nanoemulgel formulation was tested against Candida albicans and compared to Daktazol cream and almond oil; the results were: 40.9 ± 2.3 mm, 25.4 ± 2.7 mm and 18 ± 1.9 mm, respectively. In conclusion, a novel MNZ nanoemulgel showing superior antifungal activity compared to that of the commercial product has been developed. This nanotechnology technique is a step toward making pharmaceutical dosage forms that has a lot of promise., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Purpose: The goal of this study was to make Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO) nanoemulgel to improve its ability to kill bacteria. BPO has trouble getting into the skin, being absorbed by the skin, staying stable, and being spread out., Methods: A BPO nanoemulgel formulation was prepared by combining BPO nanoemulsion with Carbopol hydrogel. The drug was tested for solubility in various oils and surfactants in order to select the best oil and surfactant for the drug, and then the drug nanoemulsion formulation was prepared using a self-nano-emulsifying technique with Tween 80, Span 80, and lemongrass oil. The drug nanoemulgel was looked at in terms of its particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), rheological behavior, drug release, and antimicrobial activity., Results: Based on the solubility test results, lemongrass oil was the best solubilizing oil for drugs, while Tween 80 and Span 80 demonstrated the highest solubilizing ability for drugs among the surfactants. The optimum self-nano-emulsifying formulation had particle sizes of less than 200 nm and a PDI of close to zero. The results showed that incorporating the SNEDDS formulation of the drug with Carbopol at various concentrations did not cause a significant change in the particle size and PDI of the drug. The zeta potential results for drug nanoemulgel were negative, with more than 30 mV. All nanoemulgel formulations exhibited pseudo-plastic behavior, with 0.4% Carbopol exhibiting the highest release pattern. The drug nanoemulgel formulation worked better against bacteria and acne than the product on the market., Conclusion: Nanoemulgel is a promising way to deliver BPO because it makes the drug more stable and increases its ability to kill bacteria.

Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with progressive/irreversible neurodegeneration. However, there is not a clear understanding of its discrete pathophysiology or therapeutic intervention. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of the natural citrus flavonoid, naringenin (NAG), against alcohol-induced neurodegeneration in the brain cerebral cortex. Thirty-two male albino rats were randomly divided into four equal groups (eight rats each): control group (I); NAG-treated group (II); alcohol-intoxicated group (III) and alcohol + NAG co-treated group (IV). Brain nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 expression were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 activity and malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, mixed lineage kinase-like protein, phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta, and ciliary neurotrophic factor levels were all measured biochemically. B-cell lymphoma 2 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. A histopathological examination and neurobehavioral tests were performed. The alcohol-treated group showed a significant increase in oxidative stress and necroptosis biomarkers with a significant reduction in neuroprotective proteins. NAG co-administration effectively ameliorated cognitive dysfunction with an apparent neuroprotective effect by targeting various signaling pathways, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor/NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1, anti-oxidant capacity, attenuated necroptosis, and upregulated neuroprotective ciliary neurotrophic factor. The study findings suggest NAG as a possible management strategy for alcohol-induced neurodegeneration., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The use of conventional medical therapies has proven to have many setbacks and safety concerns that need further improvement. However, herbal medicine has been used for over 2000 years, and many studies have proven the use of herbs to be effective and safe. This article discussed the efficacy of different herbal products used in the management of obesity. To evaluate the efficacy of seven herbal-based weight loss products currently available on the Palestinian market, using in vitro assays to screen for antioxidants, anti-amylase, and anti-lipase effects for each product., Method: Pancreatic lipase and salivary amylase inhibitory activities, as well as antioxidant analysis, were tested in vitro on a variety of herbal products. Then the IC 50 was measured for each test., Results: The anti-lipase assay results, IC 50 values in (μg/mL) of each of the seven products (Product A, product B, product C, product D, product E, product F, and product G) were 114.78, 532.1, 60.18, 53.33, 244.9, 38.9, and 48.97, respectively. The IC 50 value for orlistat (Reference) was 12.3 μg/ml. On the other hand, the IC 50 value for alpha amylase inhibition of the seven products (Product A, product B, product C, product D, product E, product F, and product F) were 345.93, 13,803.84 (Inactive), 73.79, 130.91, 165.95, 28.18, and 33.11 μg/ml respectively, while acarbose (Reference) was 23.38 μg/ml. The antioxidant activity (IC 50 values) for the seven products (Product A, product B, product C, product D, product E, product F, and product F) were 1258.92, 707.94, 79.43, 186.20, 164.81, 17.53, and 10.47 μg/ml respectively. While the IC 50 value for Trolox was 2.70 μg/ml., Conclusion: It can be concluded that the seven products showed varied anti-lipase, anti-amylase, and antioxidant effects. However, products F and G showed superiority in all categories., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The emergence of multidrug-resistant microbes and the propagation of cancer cells are global health issues. The unique properties of chitosan and its derivatives make it an important candidate for therapeutic applications. Herein, a new thiadiazole derivative, 4-((5-(butylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl) amino)-4-oxo butanoic acid (BuTD-COOH) was synthesized and used to modify the chitosan through amide linkages, forming a new thiadiazole chitosan derivative (BuTD-CH). The formation of thiadiazole and the chitosan derivative was confirmed by FT-IR, 1 H/ 13 C-NMR, GC-MS, TGA, Elemental analysis, and XPS. The BuTD-CH showed a high antimicrobial effect against human pathogens Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans with low MIC values of 25-50 μg ml -1 compared to unmodified chitosan. The in-vitro cytotoxicity of BuTD-CH was evaluated against two cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and HepG2) and one normal cell (HFB4) using the MTT method. The newly synthesized derivatives showed high efficacy against cancerous cells and targeted them at low concentrations (IC 50 was 178.9 ± 9.1 and 147.8 ± 10.5 μg ml -1 for MCF-7 and HepG2, respectively) compared with normal HFB4 cells (IC 50 was 335.7 ± 11.4 μg ml -1 ). Thus, low concentrations of newly synthesized BuTD-CH could be safely used as an antimicrobial and pharmacological agent for inhibiting the growth of human pathogenic microbes and hepatocellular and adenocarcinoma therapy., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from human activities is affecting the ecosystem and civilization as we know it. CO 2 removal from the atmosphere and emission reduction by heavy industries through carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies to store or convert CO 2 to useful products or fuels is a popular approach to meet net zero targets by 2050. One promising process of CO 2 removal and conversion is CO 2 electrochemical reduction (CO 2 ER) using metal and metal oxide catalysts, particularly copper-based materials. However, the current limitations of CO 2 ER stem from the low product selectivity of copper electrocatalysts due to existing knowledge gaps of the reaction mechanisms using surfaces that normally have native oxide layers. Here, we report systematic control studies of the surface interactions of major intermediates in CO 2 ER, formate, bicarbonate, and acetate, with CuO nanoparticles in situ and in real time using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Spectra were collected as a function of concentration, pH, and time in the dark and the in absence of added electrolytes. Isotopic exchange experiments were also performed to elucidate the type of surface complexes from H/D exchange. Our results show that the organics and bicarbonate form mostly outer-sphere complexes mediated by hydrogen bonding with CuO nanoparticles with Gibbs free energy of adsorption of about -25 kJ mol -1 . The desorption kinetics of the surface species indicated relatively fast and slow regions reflective of the heterogeneity of sites that affect the strength of hydrogen bonding. These results suggest that hydrogen bonding, whether intermolecular or with surface sites on CuO nanoparticles, might be playing a more important role in the CO 2 ER reaction mechanism than previously thought, contributing to the lack of product selectivity.

This study aims to assess the deterioration aspects of a historical manuscript dating back to the 14th century that was deposited in the Library of the Arabic Language Academy, Cairo, Egypt. The study aims at the exploration of the role of various fungal strains that had colonized this deteriorated manuscript in its biodeterioration through their efficacy in the secretion of various hydrolytic enzymes. To evaluate the deterioration, various techniques, including visual inspection, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), color change, and pH value, were utilized. The fungal strains linked to the historical document were isolated, identified, and evaluated for their deterioration activities. The findings demonstrate that the manuscript exhibits a variety of deterioration signs including color change, brittleness and weakness, erosion, and removal of the grain surface pattern in leather binding. According to the ATR-FTIR, the chemical composition of the historical paper and leather underwent some alterations. The historical paper has a lower level of cellulose crystallinity than the control sample. Penicillium chrysogenum (two isolates), P. citrinum (four isolates), Aspergillus ustus (three isolates), A. terreus (two isolates), A. chinensis (one isolate), Paecilomyces sp. (one isolate), and Induratia sp. (one isolate) were among the fourteen fungal strains identified as being associated with the historical manuscript. These fungal strains produced several hydrolytic enzymes with high activity, such as cellulase, amylase, gelatinase, and pectinase, which play a key role in biodegradation.

Herein, two seaweed extracts ( Sargassum latifolium and Corallina elongate) , and two commercial seaweed products (Canada power and Oligo-X) with a concentration of 5% were used to alleviate the drought stress on wheat plants. The extract of C. elongate had the highest capacity to ameliorate the deleterious effects of water scarcity followed by S. latifolium and the commercial products. The drought stress reduced wheat shoots length and the contents of pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids), carbohydrates, and proteins. While the highest increment in the total carbohydrates and protein contents of the wheat shoot after two stages, 37-and 67-days-old, were noted in drought-stressed plants treated with C. elongate extract with values of (34.6% and 22.8%) and (51.9% and 39.5%), respectively, compared to unstressed plants. Decreasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, peroxidase, superoxidase dismutase, and polyphenol oxidase in drought-stressed plants treated with algal extracts indicated amelioration of the response actions. Analysis of phytohormones in wheat plants exhibited increasing GA3 and IAA contents with percentages of (20.3-13.8%) and (72.7-25%), respectively. Interestingly, all morphological and metabolic characteristics of yield were improved due to the algal treatments compared with untreated drought-stressed plants. Overall, the algal extracts, especially those from seaweed of C. elongate, could represent a sustainable candidate to overcome the damage effects of water deficiency in the wheat plant.

Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) has recently received great attention over owing to their superior optical properties and wide biological and biomedical applications. Herein, crystallographic and dispersed spherical Se-NPs were green synthesized using endophytic fungal strain, Penicillium crustosum EP-1. The antimicrobial, anticancer, and catalytic activities of biosynthesized Se-NPs were investigated under dark and light (using Halogen tungsten lamp, 100 Watt, λ > 420 nm, and light intensity of 2.87 W m -2 ) conditions. The effect of Se-NPs was dose dependent and higher activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well different Candida spp. were attained in the presence of light than obtained under dark conditions. Moreover, the viabilities of two cancer cells (T47D and HepG2) were highly decreased from 95.8 ± 2.9% and 93.4 ± 3.2% in dark than those of 84.8 ± 2.9% and 46.4 ± 3.3% under light-irradiation conditions, respectively. Significant decreases in IC 50 values of Se-NPs against T47D and HepG2 were obtained at 109.1 ± 3.8 and 70.4 ± 2.5 µg mL -1 , respectively in dark conditions than 19.7 ± 7.2 and 4.8 ± 4.2 µg mL -1 , respectively after exposure to light-irradiation. The photoluminescence activity of Se-NPs revealed methylene blue degradation efficiency of 89.1 ± 2.1% after 210 min under UV-irradiation compared to 59.7 ± 0.2% and 68.1 ± 1.03% in dark and light conditions, respectively. Moreover, superior stability and efficient MB degradation efficiency were successfully achieved for at least five cycles., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The purpose of this questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was to investigate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding halal pharmaceuticals among sharia practitioners in Palestine. A total of 420 sharia practitioners with different educational levels were included. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between March and July 2021 with the use of a standardized, self-administered questionnaire. Volunteers were selected throughout Palestine using a systematic random selection approach. The data were summarized using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage, median, and interquartile range). The Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine the relationship between demographic factors and the knowledge, attitude, and perception scores, respectively. The results revealed that sharia practitioners have relatively good and positive knowledge toward halal pharmaceuticals. The main knowledge of most halal pharmaceuticals was about 50.2%, yet there is still significant latitude in their knowledge of a few issues. The main attitude and perception score was about 96.4%. The results showed a positive and fair correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.153, P < 0.001) and also between knowledge and perception (r = 0.341, P < 0.001). In addition, there is a good correlation between attitude and perception (r = 0.681, P < 0.001). The study concluded that better knowledge of halal pharmaceuticals is associated with positive perceptions and behaviors. The government, pharmaceutical manufacturers, religious scholars, and health care professionals should collaborate to achieve the goal of using halal medications., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Cancer is one of the most dangerous and widespread diseases in the world today and it has risen to the position of the leading cause of death around the globe in the last few decades. Due to the inherent resistance of many types of cancer to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, it is vital to develop innovative anticancer medications. Recently, a strategy based on nanotechnology has been used to improve the effectiveness of both old and new cancer drugs., Objectives: The present study aimed to design and synthesize a series of phenyl-isoxazole-Carboxamide derivatives, evaluate their anticancer properties, and improve the permeability of potent compounds into cancer cells by using a nano-emulgel strategy., Methods: The coupling reaction of aniline derivatives and isoxazole-Carboxylic acid was used to synthesize a series of isoxazole-Carboxamide derivatives. IR, HRMS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopy techniques, characterized all the synthesized compounds. The in-vitro cytotoxic evaluation was performed by using the MTS assay against seven cancer cell lines, including hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep3B and HepG2), cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), breast carcinoma (MCF-7), melanoma (B16F1), colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), and colon adenocarcinoma (Colo205), as well as human hepatic stellate (LX-2) in addition to the normal cell line (Hek293T). A nano-emulgel was developed for the most potent compound, using a self-emulsifying technique., Results: All synthesized compounds were found to have potent to moderate activities against B16F1, Colo205, and HepG2 cancer cell lines. The results revealed that the 2a compound has broad spectrum activity against B16F1, Colo205, HepG2, and HeLa cancer cell lines with an IC 50 range of 7.55-40.85 µM. Moreover, compound 2e was the most active compound against B16F1 with an IC 50 of 0.079 µM compared with Dox (IC 50  = 0.056 µM). Nanoemulgel was used to increase the potency of the 2e molecule against this cancer cell line, and the IC 50 was reduced to 0.039 µM. The antifibrotic activities were investigated against the LX-2 cell line, and it was found that our synthesized molecules showed better antifibrotic activities at 1 µM than 5-FU, and the cell viability values were 67 and 95%, respectively., Conclusion: This study suggests that a 2e nano-formalized compound is a potential and promising anti-melanoma agent., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Recently, chitosan and its derivatives have been gaining more attention due to their high integration into various biomedical applications. Herein, a new chitosan derivative was prepared by linking the chitosan (Cs) with a novel heterocyclic compound, Benzoimidazolyl-thiadiazole (BzimTD) to form Cs-BzimTD. The synthesis of the new chitosan derivative was confirmed by Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR), thermogravimetric (TGA-DTG) analysis, elemental analysis, and UV-Visible spectrophotometer. Data showed the high efficacy of functionalized Cs-BzimTD to inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans, with inhibition zones of 15.3 ± 0.6 - 9.2 ± 0.3 mm. Also, Cs-BzimTD was applied in a topical gel formulation by using two different polymers, Carbopol 940 (CP) and Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) to form three gel formulations: Cs-BzimTD-CP, Cs-BzimTD-CMC, and Cs-BzimTD-CP-CMC. The new gels were checked for physical appearance, viscosity, Cs-BzimTD release, pH, spread-ability, and drug content. The results showed that all formulations were clear, transparent, and homogeneous with non-irritant pH values for skin (6.4 - 6.8). The spread-ability was found in the range of 7.1 - 9.4 g.cm/s. The Cs-BzimTD-CP formula showed the maximal Cs-BzimTD content percentage (86.5%) and the Cs-BzimTD release varied from 89.9 to 81.6% after 8 h depending on the gel formulation, with a maximum release achieved for Cs-BzimTD-CMC., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Herein, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were synthesized using an environmentally friendly approach by harnessing the metabolites of Aspergillus niger F2. The successful formation of Ag-NPs was checked by a color change to yellowish-brown, followed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Data showed the successful formation of crystalline Ag-NPs with a spherical shape at the maximum surface plasmon resonance of 420 nm with a size range of 3-13 nm. The Ag-NPs showed high toxicity against I, II, III, and IV instar larvae and pupae of Aedes aegypti with LC50 and LC90 values of 12.4-22.9 ppm and 22.4-41.4 ppm, respectively under laboratory conditions. The field assay exhibited the highest reduction in larval density due to treatment with Ag-NPs (10× LC50) with values of 59.6%, 74.7%, and 100% after 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. The exposure of A. aegypti adults to the vapor of burning Ag-NPs-based coils caused a reduction of unfed individuals with a percentage of 81.6 ± 0.5% compared with the positive control, pyrethrin-based coils (86.1 ± 1.1%). The ovicidal activity of biosynthesized Ag-NPs caused the hatching of the eggs with percentages of 50.1 ± 0.9, 33.5 ± 1.1, 22.9 ± 1.1, and 13.7 ± 1.2% for concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 ppm, whereas Ag-NPs at a concentration of 25 and 30 ppm caused complete egg mortality (100%). The obtained data confirmed the applicability of biosynthesized Ag-NPs to the biocontrol of A. aegypti at low concentrations.

Herein, the metabolites secreted by brown algae, Cystoseira crinita , were used as biocatalyst for green synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs). The fabricated MgO-NPs were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy linked with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Data showed successful formation of crystallographic and spherical MgO-NPs with sizes of 3-18 nm at a maximum surface plasmon resonance of 320 nm. Moreover, EDX analysis confirms the presence of Mg and O in the sample with weight percentages of 54.1% and 20.6%, respectively. Phyco-fabricated MgO-NPs showed promising activities against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and Candida albicans with MIC values ranging between 12.5 and 50 μg mL -1 . The IC 50 value of MgO-NPs against cancer cell lines (Caco-2) was 113.4 μg mL -1 , whereas it was 141.2 μg mL -1 for normal cell lines (Vero cell). Interestingly, the green synthesized MgO-NPs exhibited significant larvicidal and pupicidal activity against Musca domestica. At 10 μg mL -1 MgO-NPs, the highest mortality percentages were 99.0%, 95.0%, 92.2%, and 81.0% for I, II, III instars' larvae, and pupa of M. domestica , respectively, with LC 50 values (3.08, 3.49, and 4.46 μg mL -1 ), and LC 90 values (7.46, 8.89, and 10.43 μg mL -1 ), respectively. Also, MgO-NPs showed repellence activity for adults of M. domestica at 10 μg mL -1 with 63.0%, 77.9%, 84.9%, and 96.8% after 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Fouda, Eid, Abdel-Rahman, EL-Belely, Awad, Hassan, AL-Faifi and Hamza.)

In addition to their wide therapeutic application, benzoates and benzoic acid derivatives are the most commonly utilized food preservatives. The purpose of this study was to estimate the antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity activities of four 2-(phenylthio)-ethyl benzoate derivatives utilizing standard biomedical assays. The results revealed that the 2a compound has potent antidiabetic activity through the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glycosidase with IC 50 doses of 3.57 ± 1.08 and 10.09 ± 0.70 µg/ml, respectively, compared with the positive control acarbose (IC 50  = 6.47 and 44.79 µg/ml), respectively. In addition, by utilizing the β-carotene linoleic acid and DPPH methods, the 2a compound showed the highest antioxidant activity compared with positive controls. Moreover, the 2a compound showed potential anti-lipase activity with an IC 50 dose of 107.95 ± 1.88 µg/ml compared to orlistat (IC 50  = 25.01 ± 0.78 µg/ml). A molecular docking study was used to understand the interactions between four derivatives of (2-(phenylthio)-ethyl benzoate with α-amylase binding pocket. The present study concludes that the 2a compound could be exploited for further antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-obesity preclinical and clinical tests and design suitable pharmaceutical forms to treat these global health problems., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of two different suture types in levator plication for correction of congenital ptosis., Subjects and Methods: Prospective comparative interventional randomized study involving 42 eyes of 42 patients aged more than 6 years with congenital ptosis and good levator action. The exclusion criteria were as follows: bilateral ptosis, history of previous surgery, fair or poor levator action, and associated other ocular diseases. Patients were randomized into group A, in which double-armed 5/0 polyester Ethibond were used, and group B, in which double-armed 5/0 Coated Vicryl ® (polyglactin 910) suture material we used. Outcomes including eyelid height and stability of eyelid height over time were compared with follow-up data. The MRD was 4.05 ± 0.36 mm and 3.95 ± 0.34 after 1 week for both groups A and B, respectively. At the end of study follow up period (24 weeks), the MRD was 3.60 ± 0.42 mm in group A, and 2.52 ± 0.85 mm in group B., Conclusion: No difference in eyelid height between two groups in early postoperative period, but the postoperative eyelid height was more stable over time in the 5/0 polyester Ethibond group (group A) than in the 5/0 Coated Vicryl ® (polyglactin 910) group (group B).

The synthesis of nanoparticles by green approaches is gaining unique importance due to its low cost, biocompatibility, high productivity, and purity, and being environmentally friendly. Herein, biomass filtrate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from mangrove rhizosphere sediment was used for the biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The bacterial isolate was identified based on morphological, physiological, and 16S rRNA. The bio-fabricated ZnO-NPs were characterized using color change, UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, TEM, and XRD analyses. In the current study, spherical and crystalline nature ZnO-NPs were successfully formed at a maximum SPR (surface plasmon resonance) of 380 nm. The bioactivities of fabricated ZnO-NPs including antibacterial, anti- candida , and larvicidal efficacy were investigated. Data analysis showed that these bioactivities were concentration-dependent. The green-synthesized ZnO-NPs exhibited high efficacy against pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis ), Gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ), and unicellular fungi ( Candida albicans ) with inhibition zones of (12.33 ± 0.9 and 29.3 ± 0.3 mm), (19.3 ± 0.3 and 11.7 ± 0.3 mm), and (22.3 ± 0.3 mm), respectively, at 200 ppm. The MIC value was detected as 50 ppm for E. coli , B. subtilis , and C. albicans , and 200 ppm for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa with zones of inhibition ranging between 11.7 ± 0.3-14.6 ± 0.6 mm. Moreover, the biosynthesized ZnO-NPs showed high mortality for Culex pipiens with percentages of 100 ± 0.0% at 200 ppm after 24 h as compared with zinc acetate (44.3 ± 3.3%) at the same concentration and the same time.

Background and Aim: Imeglimin is a novel tetrahydrotriazine-containing drug suggested as a safe drug for glycemic management in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to 1) evaluate the efficacy of imeglimin on glycemic control and insulin resistance improvement measured by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). 2) assess whether the novel drug improves lipid parameters in diabetic patients. 3) compare between different doses regarding safety., Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Wiley through April 25, 2021, for relevant randomized controlled trials comparing different doses of imeglimin supplied as a monotherapy or as add-on therapy versus placebo for adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data on glycemic and lipid parameters and adverse events were extracted and pooled in random-effect models using Review Manager version 5.3., Results: Eight studies comprising 1555 patients with T2DM were included in this study. The overall effect estimate of the meta-analysis showed that the imeglimin group was superior to the control group concerning glycated hemoglobin and fasting plasma glucose (P < 0.00001). However, it did not affect HOMA-IR or lipid parameters, including triglyceride, LDL-C, and HDL-C (all p > 0.05). Regarding safety profile, imeglimin was safe and tolerable with no treatment-emergent or serious adverse events., Conclusions: Imeglimin safely improved glycemic control by reducing HbA1c and FPG. However, no beneficial effects regarding insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR or lipid parameters were observed. Further high-quality RCTs with high dose imeglimin are encouraged to ensure HOMA-IR and lipid parameters results., (Copyright © 2021 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study is aimed at developing coriander oil into a nanoemulgel and evaluating its antimicrobial and anticancer effects. Coriander ( Coriandrum sativum ) oil was developed into a nanoemulgel by using a self-nanoemulsifying technique with Tween 80 and Span 80. Hydrogel material (Carbopol 940) was then incorporated into the nanoemulsion and mixed well. After this, we evaluated the particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), rheology, antimicrobial effect, and cytotoxic activity. The nanoemulsion had a PDI of 0.188 and a particle size of 165.72 nm. Interesting results were obtained with the nanoemulgel against different types of bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2.3  μ g/ml, 3.75  μ g/ml, and 6.5  μ g/ml, respectively. In addition, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of the nanoemulgel when applying it to human breast cancer cells (MCF-7), hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep3B), and human cervical epithelioid carcinoma cells (HeLa) was 28.84  μ g/ml, 28.18  μ g/ml, and 24.54  μ g/ml, respectively, which proves that the nanoemulgel has anticancer effects. The development of C. sativum oil into a nanoemulgel by using a self-nanoemulsifying technique showed a bioactive property better than that in crude oil. Therefore, simple nanotechnology techniques are a promising step in the preparation of pharmaceutical dosage forms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Ahmad M. Eid et al.)

Plumbago europaea L. is a plant utilized in Palestinian ethnomedicine for the treatment of various dermatological diseases. The current investigation was designed to isolate plumbagin from P. europaea leaves, roots and for the first time from the stems. Moreover, it aimed to evaluate the antimycotic activity against three human fungal pathogens causing dermatophytosis, also against an animal fungal pathogen. The qualitative analysis of plumbagin from the leaves, stems, and roots was conducted using HPLC and spectrophotometer techniques, while the structure of plumbagin was established utilizing Proton and Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Infrared (IR) techniques. The entire plant constituents were determined by GC-MS. Moreover, the antimycotic activity against Ascosphaera apis, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes was assessed utilizing the poison food technique method. The percentage of plumbagin recorded in the leaves, stems, and roots was found to be 0.51±0.001%, 0.16±0.001%, and 1.65±0.015%, respectively. The GC-MS examination declared the presence of 59 molecules in the plant extract. The plant extract and pure plumbagin exhibited complete inhibition against all tested dermatophytes at 6.0mg/mL for the extracts and 0.2mg/mL for plumbagin. P. europaea root is the best source of plumbagin and the plant extract could represent a potential drug candidate for the treatment of dermatophytosis infections. Further studies required to design suitable dosage forms from the natural P. europaea root extracts or plumbagin alone, to be utilized for the treatment of dermatological and veterinary ailments.

Currently, available therapies for diabetes could not achieve normal sugar values in a high percentage of treated patients. In this research project, a series of 17 benzodioxole derivatives were evaluated as antidiabetic agents; that belong to three different groups were evaluated against lipase and alpha-amylase (α-amylase) enzymes. The results showed that 14 compounds have potent inhibitory activities against α-amylase with IC 50 values below 10 µg/ml. Among these compounds, 4f was the most potent compound with an IC 50 value of 1.11 µg/ml compared to the anti-glycemic agent acarbose (IC 50 6.47 µg/ml). On the contrary, these compounds showed weak or negligible activities against lipase enzyme. However, compound 6a showed the best inhibitory anti-lipase activity with IC 50 44.1 µg/ml. Moreover, all the synthesized compounds were undergone Molinspiration calculation, and the result showed that all compounds obeyed Lipinski's rule of five. Molecular docking studies were performed to illustrate the binding interactions between the benzodioxole derivatives and α-amylase enzyme pocket. Related to the obtained results it was clear that the carboxylic acid, benzodioxole ring, halogen or methoxy substituted aryl are important for the anti-amylase activities. The potent inhibitory results of some of the synthesized compounds suggest that these molecules should go further in vivo evaluation. It also suggests the benzodioxole derivatives as lead compounds for developing new drug candidates.