Influence of Borassus flabellifer Endocarps Hydrolysate on Fungal Biomass and Fatty Acids Production by the Marine Fungus Aspergillus sp.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) are important nutrients for human health. We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of marine water fungus Aspergillus sp. (Accession no: MZ505709) for lipid biosynthesis. The Yeast Extract Glucose (YEG) medium was supplemented with different concentration of Borassus flabellifer Endocarps Hydrolysate (BFEH; 1-5%) to evaluate the fungal biomass and its lipid accumulation. The combination of glucose and BFEH as carbon source increased the fresh weight (25.43 ± 0.33 g/L), dry weight (21.39 ± 0.77 g/L) and lipid yield (3.14 ± 0.09 g/L) of fungal biomass. The lipid content of dried fungal biomass has shown 91.08 ± 5.07 mg cod liver oil equivalents/g and 125.98 ± 5.96 mg groundnut oil equivalents/g biomass. GC-MS and NMR spectrometry analysis revealed the compounds involved in fatty acid metabolism and lipid signaling pathways along with the presence of linolenic acid. Interestingly, fungus grown in BFEH enriched medium has recorded the maximum amount of lipids with major fatty acid derivatives. Increase in the growth rate of Artemia franciscana was observed, when the extracted fungal lipid was supplemented as a food supplement. Therefore, this study suggests that marine fungal lipid may serve as potential natural compound as nutraceuticals and aquafeeds.

Nanoformulation of Tetrapyrroles Derivatives in Photodynamic Therapy: A Focus on Bacteriochlorin.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a well-known remedial treatment for cancer, infections, and various other diseases. PDT uses nontoxic dyes called photosensitizers (PS) that are activated in visible light at the proper wavelength to generate ROS (reactive oxygen species) that aid in killing tumor cells and destroying pathogenic microbes. Deciding a suitable photosensitizer is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy. It is challenging to choose the photosensitizer that is appropriate for specific pathological circumstances, such as different cancer species. Porphyrin, chlorin, and bacteriochlorin are tetrapyrroles used with proper functionalization in PDT, among which some compound has been clinically approved. Most photosensitizers are hydrophobic, have minimum solubility, and exhibit cytotoxicity due to the dispersion in biological fluid. This paper reviewed some nanotechnology-based strategies to overcome these drawbacks. In PDT, metal nanoparticles are widely used due to their enhanced surface plasmon resonance. The self-assembled nano-drug carriers like polymeric micelles, liposomes, and metal-based nanoparticles play a significant role in solubilizing the photosensitizer to make them biocompatible.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Citrus hystrix leaf extract and evaluation of its anticancer efficacy against HeLa cell line.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide despite the availability of many therapeutic options. Biogenic synthesis of metal nanoparticles paves a new way for the development of targeted drug delivery modalities of cancer therapeutics. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we demonstrate the efficacy of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles from methanolic leaf extract of Citrus hystrix as an anticancer agent used against cervical cancer cell line HeLa. METHODS: The addition of 1 mM silver nitrate to methanolic leaf extract of Citrus hystrix resulted in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles during the reaction mixture and was incubated in the dark for 1 h at pH 9 with gentle stirring. Characterization of synthesized NPs was carried out using various analyses. MTT assay, DAPI, AO/EB double staining, and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis were carried out to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of Citrus hystrix mediated green synthesized silver nanoparticles (ChAgNPs). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The absorption band at 430 nm, as shown by UV-vis spectroscopy revealed the formation of AgNPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis shows that most of the ChAgNPs were spherical in shape and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed the crystalline nature of the particles. Moreover, its potent cytotoxic effect on the HeLa cell line was analyzed using MTT assay with an IC50 value of 56 µg/ml by decreasing the cell viability in a dose and time-dependent manner. The induced apoptotic activity was confirmed by DAPI and double staining methods. Autophagic and apoptotic mediated cell death in ChAgNPs treated HeLa cell line was confirmed by staining procedures and RT-PCR methods.

Combination of Probiotics and Natural Compounds to Treat Multiple Sclerosis via Warburg Effect.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It is an auto-immune disorder. Its usual symptoms are unique to each person. In MS lesions vast fractions of pyruvate molecules are instantly transformed into lactate. This reprogramming mechanism of glycolysis is known as the Warburg effect. MS has no efficient treatment yet. Hence, there is a requirement for profitable immunomodulatory agents in MS. Probiotics perform as an immunomodulator because they regulate the host's immune responses. Its efficacy gets enhanced for an extended period when it combines with prebiotics. In this review, we focus on the metabolic alterations behind the MS lesions via the Warburg effect, and also suggesting, the combined efficacy of prebiotics and probiotics for the effective treatment of MS without side effects. The Warburg effect mechanism intensifies the infiltration of activated T-cells and B-cells into the CNS. It provokes the inflammation process on the myelin sheath. The infiltration of immune cells can be inhibited by the combination therapy of probiotics and prebiotics. By this review, we can recommend that the idea of this combinational therapy can do miracles in the treatment of MS in the future.

Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles of Solanum nigrum and Its Anticancer Activity via the Induction of Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer.

Effective cancer therapy can be achieved by using nano-drug delivery systems which provide a targeted drug delivery strategy by overcoming the drawbacks of conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. ZnO nanoparticles are a potent anticancer agent that causes tumor cell destruction with the targeted drug delivery. In this present study, green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles has been done using the plant Solanum nigrum. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were studied by the characterization techniques like UV-visible spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, DLS, zeta potential, FTIR, and XRD. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles of Solanum nigrum exhibited a significant anticancer activity against HeLa cell lines through the apoptotic pathway. The cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles was assessed using MTT assay, wound healing assay, DAPI staining, and acridine orange and ethidium bromide double staining. The expression patterns of ß-catenin, p53, caspase-3, and caspase-9 were analyzed using reverse transcriptase-PCR. The results obtained from the study indicate that the ZnO nanoparticles of Solanum nigrum possess a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect against HeLa cell lines through the inhibition of ß-catenin and increasing the levels of p53, caspase-3, and caspase-9.