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First time in this study, neuroprotective or neurotoxic effects of Pseudevernia furfuracea and Usnea florida lichen extracts based silver decorated zinc oxide nanocomposites (Ag-ZnO NCs) were evaluated. The characteristic light absorption point of P. furfuracea and U. florida based Ag-ZnO NCs were observed at 339 nm and 361 nm; effective diameter was detected at 342 nm and 495 nm. According to SEM analysis, the diameter of P. furfuracea and U. florida extract based NCs were approximately 35 nm and 85 nm, respectively. When we examined the toxicity of SH-SY5Y against human neuroblastoma cells, it was observed that NCs have neurotoxic effects on a concentration of 100 μg/ml. In this study, it was predicted that P. furfuracea and U. florida extract based Ag-ZnO NCs could be used in cytotoxic studies by synthesizing them in a cheap, short time and with eco-friendly method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is an excipient commonly used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical preparations, especially tablet. MCC has been successfully made from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) through enzymatic hydrolysis process. This study aimed to find the effect of β-glucosidase inhibitor from lichen extract to the yield of MCC, the optimum conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis including pH and reaction time and characteristics of MCC obtained compared to reference, Avicel PH-101. Method: The study was began with extraction of cellulose enzyme and followed by determination of optimum beta-glucosidase inhibitor concentration. Then, this conditions were used for enzymatic hydrolysis of α-cellulose to MCC, followed by identification and characterization of MCC obtained and compared with Avicel PH-101. Results: The optimum concentration of inhibitor was 120 ppm. A little higher yield of MCC was obtained when inhibitor extract is used in hydrolysis alfa-cellulose to MCC. The identity of MCC obtained was similar to infrared spectrum of reference. Other characteristics of MCC obtained were powder in the form of a slightly coarse, odorless and tasteless and slightly yellowish than reference. Conclusion: Addition of extract of Beta glucosidase inhibitor did not improve the MCC yield significantly, but identity and characteristics of MCC obtained showed similarities to the microcrystalline cellulose reference (Avicel PH = 101). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four different concentrations of extracts obtained from three lichen species (Lecanora muralis (Schreb.) Rabenh., Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue, and Peltigera rufescens (Weiss) Humb) were tested against adults of Sitophilus granarius (L.) in Petri dishes. After treatments, mortalities of the adults were determined after 24, 48, and 96 h. Expectedly, higher concentration and longer exposure time resulted in higher S. granarius mortality. Mortalities 96 h after treatments with the highest concentration (20 mg/ml) of extracts of L. vulpina, P. rufescens, and L. muralis were determined as 100, 100, and 86.86%, respectively. However, there were no dead insects in the control group. Values of LC50 after 96 h for L. muralis, L. vulpina, and P. rufescens extracts were 0.666, 0.505, and 0.328 mg/ml, respectively.

Silver nanoparticle therapeutics using symbiotic organisms can offer solutions to the current obstacles in antimicrobial therapies, because of cost-effective and eco-friendly properties over chemical and physical methods. In this study, we aim to synthesize silver nanoparticles using lichen (Parmotrema tinctorum) extract and evaluation of its antibacterial properties. Synthesized silver nanoparticle were characterized on the basis of morphology, size, shape and nature by UV-visible spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. TEM analysis showed that synthesized silver nanoparticles were spherical in shape with maximum particles in size range within 15 ± 5.1 nm. Prolonged stability of synthesized silver nanoparticles was due to the presence of capping and stabilizing agent in form of biomolecules, which were confirmed by FTIR analysis. Furthermore, the bio-potentiality of synthesized silver nanoparticles was done against five pathogenic bacteria viz., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae using the agar well diffusion method. On the basis of zone of inhibition we can say that silver nanoparticles had antibacterial properties. Our results suggested that, prepared silver nanoparticle might be used for production of antibiotics and applied as potential microbial cell inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oakmoss absolute, a solvent extract from Evernia prunastri, is a valuable fragrance ingredient widely used in fine fragrance for almost two centuries. Some minor components of oakmoss absolute, such as atranol and chloroatranol, are attested contact allergens and their presence in fragrance and cosmetic products should be as low as possible. In this context, we have developed an enzyme-based protocol upon which these undesirable molecules are converted in a hydrosoluble dimeric material, and thus easily separated from the absolute by liquid⁻liquid extraction. Analytical and sensory analyses were performed to confirm the specificity of the process, the absence of alteration of the olfactory quality of the absolute, and the final titles of atranol and chloroatranol, which eventually were observed in the ppm range. This highly sustainable process is a viable alternative to conventional time-, energy-, and manpower-consuming techniques to produce very low-atranol oakmoss absolute.

Lichen-forming fungi and extracts derived from them have been used as alternative medicine sources for millennia and recently there has been a renewed interest in their known bioactive properties for anticancer agents, cosmetics and antibiotics. Although lichen-forming fungus-derived compounds are biologically and commercially valuable, few studies have been performed to determine their modes of action. This study used chemical-genetic and chemogenomic high-throughput analyses to gain insight into the modes of action of Caloplaca flavoruscens extracts. High-throughput screening of 575 lichen extracts was performed and 39 extracts were identified which inhibited yeast growth. A C. flavoruscens extract was selected as a promising antifungal and was subjected to genome-wide haploinsufficiency profiling and homozygous profiling assays. These screens revealed that yeast deletion strains lacking Rsc8, Prol and Toa2 were sensitive to three concentrations (IC25.5, IC25 and IC50, respectively) of C. flavoruscens extract. Gene-enrichment analysis of the data showed that C. flavoruscens extracts appear to perturb transcription and chromatin remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four different concentrations of extracts obtained from three lichen species (Lecanora muralis (Schreb.) Rabenh., Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue, and Peltigera rufescens (Weiss) Humb) were tested against adults of Sitophilus granarius (L.) in Petri dishes. After treatments, mortalities of the adults were determined after 24, 48, and 96 h. Expectedly, higher concentration and longer exposure time resulted in higher S. granarius mortality. Mortalities 96 h after treatments with the highest concentration (20 mg/ml) of extracts of L. vulpina, P. rufescens, and L. muralis were determined as 100, 100, and 86.86%, respectively. However, there were no dead insects in the control group. Values of LC50 after 96 h for L. muralis, L. vulpina, and P. rufescens extracts were 0.666, 0.505, and 0.328 mg/ml, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of three anti-mutagenic lichen extracts on colorectal oncogenesis in azoxymethane (AOM)-treated mice and determined whether the extracts also regulated the homeostatic response to genotoxic damage. C57BL/6J mice ( n = 12 per group) were treated with the lichen extracts Antimutagen-He (AMH): AMH-C, AMH-D, or AMH-E dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, control) for 2 weeks. At the end of the treatment, mice were given a single AOM injection to induce DNA damage and killed 6 h later for measuring apoptosis and proliferation. Apoptotic and proliferation indexes in mice treated with AMH-C, AMH-D, and AMH-E were 0.61%, 1.41%, and 0.77%; and 30.62%, 21.93%, and 27.27%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of control mice (5.88% and 38.69%) ( p < 0.05). To examine the effects of lichen extracts on colorectal cancer, separate groups of mice ( n = 25 per group) treated with AMH-C, AMH-D, AMH-E, or DMSO were given 4-weekly AOM injections to induce oncogenesis. Mice were killed 24 weeks after the last AOM injection for assessing colon tumor formation. Colonic tumor incidences were 47.3%, 13%, and 20%; the tumor volumes were 18.47, 2.75, and 10.78 mm3, respectively, in mice treated with AMH-C ( p < 0.05), AMH-D ( p < 0.05), and AMH-E ( p > 0.05), compared to 24% and 13.28 mm3 in mice of control correspondingly. No lichen extract showed evident toxic effects on mice. No usnic acid was found in these lichen extracts. The regulation of acute apoptosis and cell proliferation in colonic epithelial cells and the anti-mutagenesis do not seem directly related to the cancer protective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To test efficacy of Parmelia perlata (P. perlata), which is used in traditional medicine for rapid wound healing against test bacteria that cause wound infections. Methods: Different solvents such as methanol, ethyl acetate and acetone were used for extraction of P. perlata. The sensitivity of the test bacteria to solvent extracts of P. perlata was tested by measuring the zone of inhibition on growth media and by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration. Results: Methanol, ethyl acetate and acetone extracts of P. perlata have shown inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that P. perlata has potential antibacterial compounds against S. aureus that causes multitude of skin infections among human beings. Development of drugs from natural compounds can help us to combat antibiotic–resistant bacteria. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Thamnolia vermicularis. The antioxidant activity, reducing power, superoxide anion radical scavenging and free radical scavenging activities were studied. The antioxidant activity of the extract correlated with its concentration (0.2~2 mg/ml) in the reaction mixtures containing linoleic acid. Upto 67% of lipid peroxidation was inhibited by 2 mg/ml of the lichen extract. The extract showed strong free radical scavenging activity similar to that of BHA (positive control) in a manner of concentration dependent. The lichen extract also showed moderate effects on superoxide anoin scavenging activity and reducing power, which was not so effective as that of Quercetin and BHA used as positive controls. This study suggests that T. vermicularis lichen can be used as a novel source of natural antioxidant.