Conventional and Scientific uses of Rice-washed water: A Systematic Review.

Rice is considered the king of cereals. It is the only cereal that is being consumed by half of the population in the world. Rice and rice products have potential health benefits. One such rice aided product is rice washed water which is discussed in this article. Rice-washed water, which is commonly regarded as waste water and discarded, is a rich source of minerals and nutrients. The processing of rice washed water, nutritional analysis; edible fungi productions are detailed in this review. The article goes into detail about rice-washed water, which has been used for various purposes since our ancestors' time. The article provides a comprehensive report on the uses of rice-washed water in plant growth, Ayurveda, food, Cosmetics and a variety of other applications. Rice washed water is being utilized for various ailments since primitive times. The detailed report on the treatment utilizing rice washed water is also provided in this article. There are scarce researches with rice washed water, this article address the conventional uses of rice washed water, which can be taken up by the research community which needs more scientific validation. This review article also includes details about the composition and a variety of other important information about rice-washed water. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05722-2.

Structural and Morphological Characterization of Bio-templated Reduced Graphene Oxide and their Antibacterial Efficacy.

We would like to report the eco-friendly synthesis of reduced graphene oxide using aqueous extract of Acorus calamus (rhizome), dried fruit and seed parts of Terminalia bellirica, Helicteres isora and Quercus infectoria and the whole shell part of Turbinella pyrum by simple steam bath technique. The structural and morphological characteristics of prepared reduced graphene oxides were determined by UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The Surface Plasmon Resonance at 260-280 nm ensured the reduced graphene oxide formation. The antibacterial efficacy of synthesized reduced graphene oxide was evaluated against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella paratyphi and Escherichia coli. Among the selected samples Quercus infectoria mediated reduced graphene oxide showed excellent inhibition efficiency (27 and 28 mm) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively as compared to the standard Gentamycin (29 mm). Quercus infectoria showed significant inhibition of 22 mm and moderate inhibition of 18 mm against Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella paratyphi, respectively. The results suggest selected plants and chank shell-mediated reduced graphene oxide as potential antibacterial agents for various therapeutic applications.

COVID-19 in pregnant women and children: Insights on clinical manifestations, complexities, and pathogenesis.

Pregnancy changes the body's immune system to counteract the spectrum of infections, including COVID-19, which can pose complications. Pregnant women are less likely to contract COVID-19 infections than the general public. However, pregnant women are at slightly increased risk of becoming severely unwell if they do catch COVID-19, and congenital conditions in pregnant women may worsen the state of infection and lead to critical stages and even mortality. The possibility of vertical transmission has been reported in only a few cases of COVID-19; however, it was not noted in cases of SARS and MERS. Vaccination coverage in pregnant women remains a challenge. Children are the next suspected and vulnerable population to acquire infection after the first and second waves. Children are disproportionately infected compared with older populations, but the severity of infection is less compared to adults. This review highlights the complexities of COVID-19 in pregnant women and the underlying reasons why children tend to be comparatively less severely affected. Ethnicity, nutrition, lifestyle, and therapeutics influence the severity of infection in children. Low expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors, indigenous virus competence, and maternal immunity is the first-line defense for children against COVID-19. Habituating herbal medicines from childhood may help support a robust and defensive immune system to counteract novel antigens and encourage healthy generations.

Bioinspired Gold Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Terminalia bellerica Fruit Parts and Exploring Their Anti-bacterial Potency In Vitro.

Gold nanoparticles with their excellent biocompatibility are extensively used in pharma and biological applications. Terminalia bellerica (TB) dry fruit parts mediated gold nanoparticles were synthesized using the aqueous extracts. The secondary metabolites screening of the aqueous extracts was done using phytochemical analysis. The green synthesized gold nanoparticles show vibrant colours. They were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD analysis and FE-SEM. The analytical characterization methods ensured the formation of nanoparticles and could predict the nanometric size of the nanoparticles. The study also lay to determine the antibacterial potential of the TB fruit parts and TB fruit parts mediated gold nanoparticles. The pathogens chosen for the study were pathogens from clinical species such as Acinetobacter pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis which cause common infections. The TB fruit part extracts, as well as TB fruit parts mediated gold nanoparticles were capable enough to destroy clinical pathogens. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-021-00937-3.

Biodegradable Polymers and Gold Nanoparticle-Decorated Skin Substitutes: Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Activities.

Skin substitutes are a restorative material used to treat many skin injuries by replacing or masking the wound. It is also capable of producing an original skin type. In this study, gold nanoparticle-aided skin substitutes were prepared using biodegradable materials (chitosan, sodium alginate, and gelatin) under the magnetic stirring method. Gold ions were reduced using aqueous extract of Cyperus rotundus and Hemigraphis alternata. The formation of prepared gold nanoparticles was confirmed using spectroscopy techniques. The physical parameters of the skin substitutes were tested, and it was characterized using FTIR, DTG, laser profilometer, and FESEM analysis. HAaNP-aided skin substitutes have a bubble-like texture, and it facilitates higher water-absorbing ability. CRaNP aided skin substitutes reducing the hydrophilicity of the prepared skin substitutes. Antioxidant and antifungal skin substitute activities were carried out using DPPH radical scavenging activity and disk diffusion method, respectively. The antioxidant activity revealed the skin substitutes to possess significant free radical inhibition and as the number of gold nanoparticles increases, the activity also increases. The prepared samples show excellent activity against Aspergillus niger. The MTT assay reveals that the cancer cell (A-375) viability decreases by increasing skin substitutes' concentration. The normal cells (HEK-293) were cultured in a medium containing skin substitutes, facilitating the growth of cells. The cell attachment was observed in prepared cell lines after 24-h treatment. The results of this study suggest the prepared Cyperus rotundus and Hemigraphis alternata embedded with gold nanoparticle-aided skin substitutes are a promising material for medical and cosmetic application.

FT-IR fingerprinting as an Analytical tool for determination of Melamine leaching from Melamine tablewares and their Biological implications.

In recent years Melamine is upgraded as a type three carcinogen. It is a sorry fact that still; people are in the fantasy mode and abaft the melamine tableware as they are a good piece of decorative material which sets dining an opulent look. The present study focuses on the determination of melamine leaching from melamine tablewares. The food stimulants culled for this study are conventional Indian cuisines. FT-IR is used as an analytical tool to determine the leaching of melamine from melamine diners. The present study reveals melamine leaching when hot food articles are in contact with melamine wares. Microwave heating is unsuitable for melamine tablewares. This is the first report in India, on the leaching of melamine from melamine tablewares. Calf thymus (ct) DNA is added to the samples and the extent of DNA damage in vitro is analyzed by Comet assay (also called Single cell gel electrophoresis). The results from comet assay portray significant DNA damage with the treated samples. This is a vigilance study that helps the mundane man to avoid such decorative materials and to voluntarily move to our traditional dining culture.