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Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most frequent degenerative central nervous system disorders affecting older adults. Dopaminergic neuron failure in the substantia nigra is a pathological sign connected with the motor shortfall of PD. Due to their low teratogenic and adverse effect potential, medicinal herbs have emerged as a promising therapy option for preventing and curing PD and other neurodegenerative disorders. However, the mechanism through which natural compounds provide neuroprotection against PD remains unknown. While testing compounds in vertebrates such as mice is prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, zebrafish (Danio rerio) may offer an appealing alternative because they are vertebrates and share many of the same characteristics as humans. Zebrafish are commonly used as animal models for studying many human diseases, and their molecular history and bioimaging properties are appropriate for the study of PD. However, a literature review indicated that only six plants, including Alpinia oxyhylla, Bacopa monnieri, Canavalia gladiate, Centella asiatica, Paeonia suffruticosa, and Stachytarpheta indica had been investigated as potential PD treatments using the zebrafish model. Only C. asiatica and B. monnieri were found to have potential anti-PD activity. In addition to reviewing the current state of research in this field, these plants' putative mechanisms of action against PD are explored, and accessible assays for investigation are made.

Psychological distress (including depression and anxiety) is common in the first years of cancer diagnosis but can differ by country and region. The aim of the present paper was to review the prevalence of psychological distress among cancer patients in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region. A systematic literature search was carried out using several databases (i.e., PubMed, PsychARTICLES, Embase, CINAHI, Web of Sciences, Plus, Scopus, and AHMED). Papers originally published in English language were taken into consideration if they (i) were published from 2010 to 2021 and (ii) reported the prevalence of psychological distress among patients with different types of cancer. A total of 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently employed psychometric instrument for anxiety and depression screening was the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The prevalence of anxiety (ranging from 7% to 88%) was wider than that of depression (ranging from 3% to 65.5%) among patients with different types of cancer and living in various countries in the SEA region. The overall prevalence rate of psychological distress among cancer patients from the SEA region was not fundamentally very different from that of general populations. These findings provide useful information for health professionals and cancer patients to understand the negative role of psychological distress in quality of life and health. The research findings demonstrate the importance of counselling for psychological distress among cancer patients as means of effectively resolving their psychological problems and ultimately improving the quality of oncology medical care. Clinical recommendations for cancer management should incorporate the early identification of (and therapy for) psychological distress, as well as their monitoring during treatment.

Due to promising properties such as low toxicity against different cell lines, being highly stable fuorescent without showing photobleaching, and good surface properties, nanodiamonds have gained ever-increasing attention for various biomedical applications including bioimaging and therapeutic applications. Various methods are used for the fabrication of nanostructured diamond, the commonly used of which is the denotation technique. Newer approaches are being practiced for the modifcation and functionalization of their surfaces by different biomolecules suitable for interaction with considered targets. In this review, the scope and recent advancement in the feld of nanodiamonds for biomedical applications particularly their application for nanocomposite scaffold and implants are discussed.

The present study includes an overview of the applications of clay-based nanocomposites over the past decade to date in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, water treatment, food packaging, electricity, automotive, and especially the production of chemical fertilizers with water retention and slow release. In the agricultural area, one of the promising materials that help green chemical engineering and green chemistry is slow-release fertilizer (SRF). Clay minerals and also clay nanocomposites provide cost-effective and efficient material for this purpose. In this paper, the research and development of polymer nanocomposites based on clay in recent years with the focus on their application as novel fertilizers have been reviewed. Clay minerals are promising reinforcements to manufacture high-performance, lightweight, and low-cost nanocomposites because of their abundance, layered structure, low cost, and rich intercalation chemistry.

Introduction: The effects of short-term and long-term exposures to 2.45 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on anxiety-like behavior, corticosterone level, and gene expression were investigated. The goal of this study was to explore the effect of electromagnetic fields of 2.45 GHz on clinical signs such as body weight and anxiety-like behavior, including the elevated plus maze test and open-field test, and also on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Bax (Bcl2-associated x) and Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) genes on the cognitive memory functions in an animal model of rats. Methods: The animals were classified into eight groups, sham groups and exposed groups for short-term and long-term exposures to the same dose of RF-EMR for one hour daily. The Wi-Fi equipment in the sham control group was not turned on during the experiment. Both genes were further confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The semi-quantitative PCR method of electromagnetic fields in the 2.45 GHz range impacted the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes in the rat’s memory. Results: The present study exhibited that short-term radiation could decrease the percentage of entry into the open arm and the percentage of time spent, while there were no substantial impacts on the long-term radiation effect. Our data support the hypothesis that short-term exposure worked as a systemic stressor, raising plasma corticosterone and changing glucocorticoid receptor expression in the hippocampus. Conclusion: Additional research on this specific frequency and amount of radiation is required to discover strategies for protecting the nervous system from the detrimental effects of RF-EMR radiation.

Introduction: Fear memories are influenced by psychological and environmental variables. We evaluated the effect of 2.45 GHz microwave radiation on rats’ fear learning and memory ability to determine the potential risks. The present study aimed to assess the impacts of corticosterone (CORT) levels on the consolidation and reconsolidation of fear conditioning memories. Methods: The rats were evaluated in contextual fear conditioning using foot shocks in both short-term (7 days) exposure and long-term (30 days) exposure. Young male Wistar rats were continually exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic field radiation for 5-6 weeks (1 h/day) with a frequency, power density, and pulse width of 2.45 GHz, 6.0 mW/cm2 , and 2 ms, respectively. Several animals housed in identical conditions without exposure to radiation were monitored. Results: Based on the results, a significant increase and decrease in body weight and percentage of the freezing time were observed after the short-term group respectively. However, in the long term, we observed no significant difference in body weight, and the freezing time decreased substantially. Conclusion: As CORT levels were analyzed, long-term radiation might increase stress, which was associated with significant weight loss in rats.

A healthy lifestyle is critical to maintaining safety and preventing rheumatic disease before reaching old age. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune and systemic illness involving joint changes, including inflammation, joint pain, tiredness, elevated risk of developing coronary and heart disease, and rapid loss of muscle mass. The role of exercise in improving the inflammatory pattern has tended to focus on the latest research. However, some physical activities represent a non-pharmacological treatment strategy due to their many benefits, such as improved muscle mass, strength, and efficiency, especially in patients with RA. During exercise, skeletal muscle releases myokines, triggering a direct anti-inflammatory effect with each activity or enhancing comorbidity. The level of inflammatory biomarkers, such as tumour necrosis factor, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6, is significantly lower for athletes and patients with RA who exercise regularly. However, understanding the precise roles of some environmental and genetic factors can help to prevent rheumatic disorders. This review highlights the influence of exercise and training on the inflammatory module in patients with rheumatic disease. More detailed data is needed to clarify the benefits of exercise in the context of RA and inflammation.

Background Application of chemotherapeutics in cancer patients may provide an immunosuppressive milieu, favourable for parasitic infections. Giardia duodenalis is an important zoonotic intestinal parasite responsible for diarrhoea in humans worldwide. Methods The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of G. duodenalis and respective odds ratios (ORs) in cancer patients around the globe. Four online databases—PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar—were carefully explored for relevant literature without time limitation until 28 November 2020. Meta-analysis was done based on a random effects model to pool the estimations and define 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results The overall weighted prevalence of G. duodenalis infection in cancer patients was calculated to be 6.9% (95% CI 0.5 to 9.3) globally, based on data from 32 studies. Although not statistically significant, eight case–control studies revealed that cancer patients were 1.24 times (95% CI 0.66 to 2.31; p=0.501) more exposed to G. duodenalis infection than healthy controls. Moreover, the prevalence of infection was not significantly associated with quantitative variables, including publication year (regression coefficient −0.0135, p=0.578), sample size (regression coefficient −0.0007, p=0.074) and human development index (regression coefficient −1.6263, p=0.419). Also, subgroup analysis of the pooled G. duodenalis infection was performed for publication year, World Health Organization regions, countries, continents, cancer types and country income. Conclusions Altogether, the epidemiology of G. duodenalis infection and its associated risk factors in immunocompromised individuals, especially cancer patients, is still open to question and deserves comprehensive investigations.

Introduction: The leaves of Senna alata from the Fabaceae family have been used in folk medicine for the cure of skin disease. In this study, we tested the extract and fractions on brine shrimp lethality test and antiproliferative activity on cancer and normal cell lines. Objective: In this study, we assessed the cytotoxicity of S. alata using brine shrimp test and two cell lines. Methods: The 80 % ethanolic leaf extract and its fractions were examined for possible cytotoxic effect using sulforhodamine B (SRB) cytotoxicity assay towards breast cancer (MCF-7), normal (MCF10A) cell lines, and brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT). Results: The brine shrimp lethality bioassay exhibits no cytotoxicity even at high concentration (5 000 µg/mL). The LC50 for dichloromethane, chloroform, butanol, and aqueous were > 1 000 µg/mL (non-toxic). The IC50 for in vitro SRB cytotoxicity against MCF-7 for n-hexane was 0.013 µg/mL, which was considered highly toxic, while dichloromethane and chloroform recorded at 47.11 and 57.61 µg/mL, respectively after 72 hours exposure time although there was no cytotoxicity found on the normal cell line. Conclusion: This study shows that S. alata crude ethanolic leaf extract and its fractions potentially contain significant bioactive compounds that are safe from adverse effects, which proves the therapeutic application of S. alata in traditional remedy. Resumen Introducción: Las hojas de Senna alata de la familia Fabaceae se han utilizado en la medicina popular para la cura de enfermedades de la piel. En este estudio, probamos el extracto de la planta en líneas celulares normales y cancerosas. Objetivo: Evaluamos la citotoxicidad de S. alata usando una prueba del camarón Artemia y la actividad antiproliferativa. Métodos: El extracto de hoja etanólico al 80 % y sus fracciones se examinaron en busca de un posible efecto citotóxico utilizando un ensayo de citotoxicidad de sulforrodamina B (SRB) frente a líneas celulares de cáncer de mama (MCF-7), normales (MCF10A) y prueba de letalidad del camarón Artemia (BSLT). Resultados: El bioensayo de letalidad del camarón Artemia no presenta citotoxicidad incluso en alta concentración (5 000 µg/mL). La CL50 para diclorometano, cloroformo, butanol y acuoso fue > 1000 µg/mL (no tóxico). La CI50 para la citotoxicidad in vitro de SRB contra MCF-7 para n-hexano fue de 0.013 µg/mL, que se consideró altamente tóxica, mientras que el diclorometano y el cloroformo registraron 47.11 y 57.61 µg/mL, respectivamente, después de 72 horas de tiempo de exposición, aunque no hubo citotoxicidad encontrada en la línea celular normal. Conclusión: Este estudio muestra que el extracto de hoja etanólico crudo de S. alata y sus fracciones contienen potencialmente compuestos bioactivos significativos que están a salvo de efectos adversos, lo que demuestra la aplicación terapéutica de S. alata como remedio tradicional.

In this research, the 80S bioactive glass with different Ca/P ratios was prepared by the sol-gel route. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to study the apatite structure and shape. According to the results, the 78SiO2–17P2O5–5CaO bioglass showed a higher rate of crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) on its surface in comparison with the other bioglasses. After 3 days of immersion in the SBF solution, spherical apatite was formed on the 78SiO2–17P2O5–5CaO surface, which demonstrated high bioactivity. A statistically significant promotion in proliferation and differentiation of G292 osteoblastic cells was also observed. Regarding its optimal cell viability and bioactivity, the 78SiO2–17P2O5–5CaO bioactive glass could be offered as a promising candidate for bone tissue applications.

Currently, dental implants are considered as useful alternatives to missing teeth although they may suffer from failure. In this study the current scientific literature has been reviewed to highlight the risk factors which affect dental implant failure. Radiotherapy in neck and head cancers, diabetes, smoking, Osteoporosis, and HIV can increase the occurrence of risk factors for the failure of dental implant. As a result of negative impacts on osseointegration, osteoporosis, smoking, and head, the neck radiotherapy causes higher risk of dental implant failure. The irradiation target volume during radiotherapy is the main cause of implant failure especially due to the increment of marginal bone resorption. Additionally, healing of bones around dental implants is negatively affected by heavy smoking due to the reduction of the healing speed. But diabetes has lower risk factors (i.e. complication compromise the healing of soft tissues, periodontitis, tooth loss, delayed wound healing, and impaired response to infection, etc.) and also in HIV-positive such as reducing the periotest values during healing, etc. Therefore, more attention should be paid to this patients and treat them with controlled oral surgical procedures.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is used as an embryonic and larval model to perform in vitro experiments and developmental toxicity studies. Zebrafish may be used to determine the toxicity of samples in early screening assays, often in a high-throughput manner. The zebrafish embryotoxicity model is at the leading edge of toxicology research due to the short time required for analyses, transparency of embryos, short life cycle, high fertility, and genetic data similarity. Zebrafish toxicity studies range from assessing the toxicity of bioactive compounds or crude extracts from plants to determining the optimal process. Most of the studied extracts were polar, such as ethanol, methanol, and aqueous solutions, which were used to detect the toxicity and bioactivity. This review examines the latest research using zebrafish as a study model and highlights its power as a tool for detecting toxicity of medicinal plants and its effectiveness at enhancing the understanding of new drug generation. The goal of this review was to develop a link to ethnopharmacological zebrafish studies that can be used by other researchers to conduct future research.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antidepressant action of Elatostema umbellatum and Urtica dioica as well as comparison them with conventional antidepressant drugs and to determine the possible mechanism of its antidepressant action using two methods of study.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of selected crude extracts namely, Methanol (ME I), Chloroform Extract (CE II) and Ethyl Acetate (EAE II) extracts of Pilea microphylla on depression in mice. In the present study, the antidepressant effect of P. microphylla was examined due to its rich flavonoid contents in the Urticaceae family using two behavioral models, the Forced Swimming Test (FST) and Tail Suspension Test (TST) in mice. Selected crude extracts from Pilea microphylla produced an antidepressant-like effect, since the acute treatment of mice with extracts by intraperitoneal (i.p.) route significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST (50 and 100 mg kg-1) and TST (50 and 100 mg kg-1), as compared to positive controls (haloperidol and fluoxetine) at 1 and 10 mg kg-1, respectively. The results showed that ME I, CE II and EAE II at dose of 100 mg kg-1 of body weight decreased immobility time with the increase swimming time with respect to the first day (p

Background: Urtica dioica, or stinging nettle, is traditionally used in much frequency in northern Iran. A total of nine extracts were prepared using different organic solvents and by two extraction methods, either by using soxhlet extractor or sequential partitions. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of crude extracts were tested. Objective: The main purpose of this study was to determine and compare two methods of extraction and the ability of different kinds of U. dioica crude extracts to inhibit various pathogenic microorganisms. Methods: A selection of extracts that showed any activity was further tested for the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) on nutrient agar and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) on Muller-Hilton agar. Results: Only one extract, ethyl acetate extract of Method II (EAE II) was moderately active against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Vibrio parahaemyticus were 8.33, 8.33 and 0.13 mg/ml for both MIC, respectively. All others were practically inactive. Conclusion: Our finding showed that the method I had high effect on food poisoning bacterial than the method II especially against Bacillus cereus and Vibrio parahaemolytiucus.

Urtica dioica or stinging nettle is traditionally used as an herbal medicine in Western Asia. The current study represents the investigation of antimicrobial activity of U. dioica from nine crude extracts that were prepared using different organic solvents, obtained from two extraction methods: the Soxhlet extractor (Method I), which included the use of four solvents with ethyl acetate and hexane, or the sequential partitions (Method II) with a five solvent system (butanol). The antibacterial and antifungal activities of crude extracts were tested against 28 bacteria, three yeast strains and seven fungal isolates by the disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. Amoxicillin was used as positive control for bacteria strains, vancomycin for Streptococcus sp., miconazole nitrate (30µg/mL) as positive control for fungi and yeast, and pure methanol (v/v) as negative control. The disc diffusion assay was used to determine the sensitivity of the samples, whilst the broth dilution method was used for the determination of the minimal inhibition concentration (MIC). The ethyl acetate and hexane extract from extraction method I (EA I and HE I) exhibited highest inhibition against some pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, MRSA and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. A selection of extracts that showed some activity was further tested for the MIC and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC). MIC values of Bacillus subtilis and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using butanol extract of extraction method II (BE II) were 8.33 and 16.33mg/mL, respectively; while the MIC value using ethyl acetate extract of extraction method II (EAE II) for Vibrio parahaemolyticus was 0.13mg/mL. Our study showed that 47.06% of extracts inhibited Gram-negative (8 out of 17), and 63.63% of extracts also inhibited Gram-positive bacteria (7 out of 11); besides, statistically the frequency of antimicrobial activity was 13.45% (35 out of 342) which in this among 21.71% belongs to antimicrobial activity extracts from extraction method I (33 out of 152 of crude extracts) and 6.82% from extraction method II (13 out of 190 of crude extracts). However, crude extracts from method I exhibited better antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria than the Gram-negative bacteria. The positive results on medicinal plants screening for antibacterial activity constitutes primary information for further phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Therefore, the extracts could be suitable as antimicrobial agents in pharmaceutical and food industry.Urtica dioica u ortiga se utiliza tradicionalmente como medicina herbaria en el oeste de Asia. En esta investigación se estudia la actividad antimicrobiana de nueve extractos crudos de U. dioica, los cuales fueron preparados utilizando diferentes disolventes orgánicos y obtenidos a partir de dos métodos de extracción: el extractor Soxhlet (Método I), que incluía el uso de cuatro disolventes con acetato de etilo y hexano, y las particiones secuenciales (Método II) con un sistema de cinco disolventes (butanol). Las actividades antibacterianas y antifúngicas de extractos crudos fueron ensayados contra 28 bacterias, tres cepas de levadura y siete cepas fúngicas por la difusión en disco y el método de dilución en caldo. La amoxicilina se utilizó como control positivo para cepas de bacterias, vancomicina para Streptococcus sp., nitrato de miconazol (30μg/mL) como control positivo para los hongos y levaduras, y el metanol puro (v / v) como control negativo. El ensayo de difusión en disco se utilizó para determinar la sensibilidad de las muestras, mientras que el método de dilución en caldo se utilizó para la determinación de la concentración de inhibición mínima (CIM). El acetato de etilo y el extracto de hexano del método de extracción I (AE I y EH I) mostraron mayor inhibición contra algunas bacterias patógenas tales como Bacillus cereus, MRSA y Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Una selección de extractos que mostraron algún tipo de actividad se probó para el CIM y las concentraciones mínimas bactericidas (CMB). Los valores de CIM de Bacillus subtilis y de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes a la meticilina (MRSA) usando extracto de butanol mediante el método de extracción II (EB II) fueron: 8.33 y 16.33mg/ mL, respectivamente; mientras que el valor de MIC con el uso del extracto de acetato de etilo por el Método de extracción II (EAE II) para Vibrio parahaemolyticus fue 0.13mg/mL. Nuestro estudio mostró que el 47.06% de los extractos inhibieron bacterias Gram-negativas (8 de 17), y el 63,63% de los extractos también inhibieron bacterias Gram-positivas (7 de 11), además que estadísticamente la frecuencia de la actividad antimicrobiana fue de 13.45% (35 de 342), que de este porcentaje un 21.71% pertenece alos extractos de actividad antimicrobiana con el método de extracción I (33 de 152 de los extractos crudos) y un 6.82% del método de extracción II (13 de 190 de los extractos crudos). Sin embargo, los extractos crudos del método I exhibieron una mejor actividad antimicrobiana contra las bacterias Gram-positivas que las Gram-negativas. Los resultados positivos en la detección de plantas medicinales para la actividad antibacteriana constituye información primaria para la realización de nuevos estudios fitoquímicos y farmacológicos. Por lo tanto, los extractos podrían ser adecuados como agentes antimicrobianos en la industria farmacéutica y de alimentos.

To date, the search for novel pharmacotherapy from medicinal plants for psychiatric illnesses has significantly progressed. This study investigated the effect of selected crude extracts from Pilea microphylla in the mouse forced test (FST) and in the tail suspension test (TST), two models predictive of antidepressant activity. Selected crude extracts from Pilea microphylla produced an antidepressant–like effect, since the acute treatment of mice with extracts by intraperitoneal (i.p.) route significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST (50 and 100 mg/kg) and TST (50 and 100 mg/kg), as compared to positive controls (haloperidol and fluoxetine) at 1 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. The antidepressant–like effect of extracts was found to be significant at high doses, followed by an increase in the immobility time at dose of 100 mg/kg. A significant decreased of immobility was also found on the third day at the concentration of 100 mg/kg of chloroform extract of Pilea microphylla from extraction method II (CEPM II) and ethyl acetate extract of Pilea microphylla from extraction method II (EAEPM II); (except methanol extract of Pilea microphylla from extraction method I (MEPM I) at 100 mg/kg) with respect to the first day. Ethyl acetate and chloroform extract from extraction method II when administered at an acute dose of 100 mg/kg of body weight (P < 0.05) reduced the immobility time. Among all the three selected extracts with two doses administered there were differences compared to the control, EAEPM II led to reduction of immobility time, in the FST method by 38.50% for 50 mg/kg to as much as 75.97% for 100 mg/kg. Similar results of increased antidepressant effect, that was, of immobility time depending on the concentration administered, were obtained with the TST method. These results suggested the anti–depression activity of the plant extract. Therefore, P. microphylla may be served as a potential resource for natural psychotherapeutic agent against depression. However, further studies are still required.