Antioxidant and cytotoxicity screenings of ethyl acetate extract from Annona muricata leaves and its fractions.

Leaves of Annona muricata have medicinal potential which has gained attention from researchers around the world. This study has an objective to screen the antioxidant and cytotoxicity of ethyl acetate extract from A. muricata leaves and its fraction. The fine powder of A. muricata was macerated in methanol and further partitioned using two different solvents, namely n-hexane and ethyl acetate. In this article, we reported the screening results for ethyl acetate extract. Fractionation was then performed on the extract by means of column chromatography by gradient elution resulting in five combined fractions. Brine shrimp lethality test and 1-diphenyl-2-pycrilhidrazil (DPPH) assays were employed to evaluate the cytotoxicity and antioxidant of the extract, respectively. Characterization using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) was then conducted. The cytotoxicity of the samples was indicated by median lethal concentration50 values ranging from 28.84 to 1023.3 ppm. As for the antioxidant activity, the DPPH median inhibitory concentration50 values ranged from 4.12 to 180.66 ppm. GC-MS analysis on the most bioactive fraction revealed the predominating phytochemical contents of neophytadiene, palmitic acid, and phytol. In conclusion, the fraction of ethyl acetate extract from A. muricata leaves could potentially act as a strong antioxidant and moderate cytotoxic agent.

Comprehensive Chemical Profiling and Mechanistic Insight into Anticancer Activity of Annona muricata Leaves Extract.

The aqueous extract of Annona muricata L. leaves was thoroughly analyzed using the UPLC-MS/MS, in addition to a new approach of examination of the extract's impact on cancer of EAC(Ehrlich ascites carcinoma) in albino male mice. The aim was to investigate the diversity of the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous leaf capsule extract and their impacts on EAC as anticancer agents. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS screening resulted in 410 tentatively identified metabolites. Among them, 384 compounds were tentatively identified in a previous study, besides a number of 26 compounds belonging to acetogenins, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other miscellaneous compounds, which were exclusively identified in the aqueous extract of the leaf capsule. Interestingly, a new compound was tentatively characterized as galloyl-quinic acid-rutinoside. This study also demonstrated that treating EAC mice with an extract from A. muricata leaves significantly improved the abnormalities in the expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax and caspase-3) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) genes. Furthermore, the extract showed good protection against induced Ehrlich hepatocarcinoma, according to the microscopical, histological, and immune-histochemical analyses of the liver tissues and tumor mass.

Untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS for identifying cytotoxic compounds on MCF-7 breast cancer cells from Annona muricata Linn leaf extracts as potential anticancer agents.

INTRODUCTION: The leaves of Annona muricata L., known as "soursop" or "sirsak" in Indonesia, are used traditionally for cancer treatment. However, the bioactive components remain largely unidentified. OBJECTIVE: This study used untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based metabolomics to identify potential cytotoxic compounds in A. muricata leaf extracts on MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro. METHODS: A. muricata leaves were macerated with water, 99% ethanol, and aqueous mixtures containing 30%, 50%, and 80% ethanol. Cytotoxic activity of the extracts against MCF-7 breast cancer cells was determined using the MTT assay. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-Q-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectroscopy (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS) was used to characterize the metabolite composition of each extract. The correlations between metabolite profile and cytotoxic activities were evaluated using orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The binding of these bioactive compounds to the tumorigenic alpha-estrogen receptor (3ERT) was then evaluated by in silico docking simulations. RESULTS: Ninety-nine percent ethanol extracts demonstrated the greatest potency for reducing MCF-7 cell viability (IC50 = 22 µg/ml). We detected 35 metabolites in ethanol extracts, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and acetogenins. OPLS-DA predicted that annoreticuin, squadiolin C, and xylopine, and six unknown acetogenin metabolites, might reduce MCF-7 cell viability. In silico analysis predicted that annoreticuin, squadiolin C, and xylopine bind to 3ERT with an affinity comparable to doxorubicin. CONCLUSION: Untargeted metabolomics and in silico modeling identified cytotoxic compounds on MCF-7 cells and binding affinity to 3ERT in A. muricata leaf extracts. The findings need to be further verified to prove the screening results.

Integrative phytochemical, ligand structure based drug design nephroprotective potential of Annona muricata flower-petals.

This study was aimed at investigating the ability of extract of Annona muricata (AM) flower-petals in ameliorating the toxic effects of acetaminophen on the kidneys of albino rats. The biochemical results showed a marked increase in AM 200 mg (32.84 ± 0.14) and AM 400 mg (32.64 ± 0.78). Increase levels of total protein in AM 200 mg (77.00 ± 5.65) displays nephroprotective potential of the flower extract. Reduction of renal activities of serum urea in AM 400 mg group (6.41 ± 0.22) indicates its protective potency against acetaminophen induced kidney damage. Increased activities of SOD levels at 200 mg (4.97 ± 0.05) and CAT levels at 200 mg (23.39 ± 1.13). This study showed that A. muricata has good prospects of being a nephroprotective drug candidate.

Exploring the antifungal potential of Annona muricata leaf extract-loaded hydrogel in treating vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis, mostly caused by Candida albicans, remains a prevalent concern in women's health. Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae), a plant native from Brazil, is well-known for its therapeutic potential, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. This study presents an innovative hydrogel formulation containing the ethanolic extract from A. muricata leaves designed to control C. albicans in an in vivo model of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Here, we report the development, thermal, physicochemical and rheological characterization of a Carbopol®-based hydrogel containing A. muricata extract. Furthermore, we evaluated its activity in a vulvovaginal candidiasis in vivo model. Thermal analyses indicated that the addition of the extract increased the polymer-polymer and polymer-solvent interactions.Rheological analysis showed a decrease in the viscosity and elasticity of the formulation as the A. muricata extract concentration increased, suggesting a liquid-like behavior. After treatment with the Carbopol®-based hydrogel with A. muricata, our in vivo results showed a significant reduction in vulvovaginal fungal burden and infection, as well as a reduction in mucosal inflammation. The current research opens up possibilities for the application of the Carbopol®-based hydrogel with A. muricata as a natural therapeutic option for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Assessment of the changes in product characteristics, total ascorbic acid, total flavonoid content, total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of dried soursop fruit tea (Annona muricata L.) during product storage.

Soursop (Annona muricata L.) fruit tea is a health-beneficial product that promotes economic development and addresses the issue of excessive agricultural waste. Prolonging the shelf-life of soursop fruit tea has been of scientific interest currently. This study evaluated the effects of three types of packaging materials of soursop fruit tea (e.g., paper, paper-combined Polyetylen (PE), and aluminum-combined PE) and different storage temperatures (5, 15, 30, and 45°C) on various product characteristics, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total ascorbic acid (TAA), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH)/2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging capacity during 4 weeks of storage. The results revealed that the sample stored in aluminum-combined PE packaging at 30°C retained most of the product's characteristics and nutritional values. This was evidenced by the moisture content of 2.49%, TAA of 3.9 ± 1.4 mg/100 g dry weight, TPC of 12.89 ± 0.47 mgGAE/g, TFC of 0.54 ± 0.004 mgQE/g, DPPH scavenging activity of 4.06 ± 0.02 mgAA/g, and ABTS scavenging activity of 13.34 ± 0.32 mgAA/g. Additionally, the microbiological quality of the sample met the standard of TCVN 9740:2013. Overall, the study highlights the importance of packaging materials and storage temperatures to maintain the nutritional quality of soursop fruit tea. It provides valuable insights into the suitable storage conditions for preserving the quality and health-promoting effects of this product.

Storage and time course effects on the quality of oil extracted from Phyllanthus amarus Schumach and Annona muricata Linn and their antidiabetic potentials.

With the advent of modern technology, advancements in processing and storage techniques, and increasing medical knowledge, people are becoming aware of deterioration in the quality of medicinal products due to storage methods and time. In most cases, herbal products are not consumed immediately after production; as such, improper storage can result in physical, chemical, and microbiological changes. The study evaluated the effect of storage methods and time on the quality of oil extracted from Phyllanthus amarus Schumach and Annona muricata Linn and assessed their antidiabetic and antioxidative effects. Plants were air-dried, pulverized, and then subjected to Soxhlet extraction in petroleum ether. The oil was evaluated for phytochemical constituents and the effects of time and storage methods on its physicochemical properties. Characterization of the oil was done by spectroscopic techniques. Oils from both plants contained tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, terpenoids, phlobotannins, resins, reducing sugar, phenols, and saponins in different proportions. The oil from A. muricata had higher phenolic (3.11 ± 0.31 mg GAE/g), flavonoid (11.82 ± 0.08 mg QUE/g), alkaloid (16.37 ± 0.56 mg APE/g), and tannin (7.13 ± 0.47 mg CE/g) contents than the oil from P. amarus, which had 0.54 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g, 7.83 ± 0.13 mg QUE/g, 9.87 ± 0.15 mg APE, and 3.16 ± 0.12 mg CE/g for total phenolic, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins, respectively. Initial acid, iodine, peroxide, and saponification values recorded for P. amarus were 5.63 ± 0.82 mg KOH/g, 97.17 ±0.53 Wijis, 9.31 ± 0.15 mEq/kg, and 116.11 ± 0.74 mg KOH/g, respectively, significantly different from those of A. muricata , which had values of 1.17 ± 0.08 mg KOH, 76.23 ± 0.03 Wijis, 6.75 ± 0.47 mEq/kg, and 193.31 ± 0.52 mg KOH/g, respectively. FT-IR characterization of the oils revealed the presence of carboxylic acid, alkyl, alkene, alkane, haloalkane, aldehyde, aromatic amine, α-unsaturated and ß-unsaturated esters, and phenol functional groups. P. amarus oil inhibited α-amylase (IC50 0.17 ± 0.03 mg/ml), α-glucosidase (IC50 0.64 ± 0.03 mg/ml), and xanthine oxidase (0.70 ± 0.01 mg/ml) to a greater extent than A. muricata oil, with IC50 values of 0.43 ± 0.05 mg/ml (α-amylase), 2.25 ± 0.31 mg/ml (α-glucosidase), and 0.78 ± 0.07 mg/ml (xanthine oxidase). This study showed that oils from the tested plants have low rancidity with a moderate shelf life. The extracts contained essential phytoconstituents that significantly inhibited α-glucosidase and xanthine oxidase. These effects of the oil indicate their potential to prevent diabetes, gout, and oxidative stress. Consequently, the supply of P. amarus and A. muricata in homemade diets is strongly encouraged for healthy living.

The effect of Annona muricata (Graviola) on the prevention of brain damage due to ionizing radiation in rats.

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effect of ethanol extract of Annona Muricata (AM) leaves in the prevention of brain damage caused by ionizing radiation (IR). This study was conducted in the Experimental Animal Research Unit of a university with 28 adults female Wistar Albino rats. The experimental groups were as follows: Control group (n = 8), AM group (n = 6), IR group (n = 8), AM + IR group (n = 6). In the IR group, astrocyte hypertrophy, microglial reaction and inflammatory reaction levels were significantly higher than the control and AM groups (P < 0.001). Edema was significantly higher in the IR group compared to the control group (P=0.001). The MDA of the IR group was significantly higher compared to the control group and AM group (P=0.031, P=0.006, respectively). The MDA of the AM + IR group was significantly higher than the AM group (P=0.039). Our findings show that histomorphology and oxidant damage caused by IR can be ameliorated using AM, as demonstrated by the comparison of the controls to AM + IR recipients, which showed similar histomorphology and oxidant damage levels.

Silica/Annona muricata nano-hybrid: Synthesis and anticancer activity against breast cancer.

Biogenically derived silica nanoparticles may serve as a well-defined target vehicle for drug delivery and have a wide range of applications in biomedicine. Silica nanoparticles are an excellent candidate as drug carriers due to their mesoporous structure, high drug loading capacity, low toxicity, environmental friendliness and low economic synthesis procedures. In this study, nano structured silica was extracted from sugarcane bagasse through an alkali leaching extraction and conjugated with A. muricata extract overcoming its poor solubility and improving its bioavailability within the host system. The Silica Nanoparticles (SNP) and Annona muricata conjugated Silica Nanoparticles (AM/SNP) were characterized using SEM, FTIR, TGA, EDAX, XRD and zeta potential. The AM/SNP was subjected to kinetic release studies and exhibited a sustained release of 64 % over the course of 12 h in contrast to extract, indicating the slow release of the drug under synthetic conditions. A. muricata pose a high affinity against tumor cells as an anti-cancer agent, and the potential of binding was testified using in-silico virtual screening against breast cancer receptors with lead acetogenins with Annomuricin (-7.4 kcal/mol) and Gigantecin (-7.4 kcal/mol) exhibiting a high binding affinity against ER and HER2+ receptors respectively. The AM/SNP conjugate exhibited high cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with an IC50 value of 33.43 µg, indicating high potency of the conjugate at low concentrations, facilitating low systemic toxicity on administration.

Antimutagenic and antitumor activities of a water-soluble fraction of soursop (syn Graviola, Annona muricata L.) fruit pulp.

Soursop (Annona muricata) is a tropical tree whose decoction derived from bark, root, seed, or leaf has been used for medicinal uses. In addition, the fruit itself is considered a food, and the juice is utilized to treat heart and liver diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic content. In addition, a water-soluble fraction of the soursop fruit pulp (WSSP) was examined for the following properties: antioxidant, mutagenic, and antimutagenicity. UV-visible spectrophotometry determined total phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteu method to be 11.22 ± 0.6 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram dried extract, and free-radical scavenging activity by the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) showed an EC50 of 1032 µg/ml. In the Salmonella/microsome assay, no marked mutagenicity was induced following WSSP treatment, and a chemopreventive capacity was observed in the antimutagenic assay. The cytotoxicity assays were carried out using the water-soluble tetrazolium salt and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays demonstrated that WSSP induced significant cytotoxicity in MCF-7 and Caco-2 cells, indicating greater effectiveness of cytotoxic action by destroying cell membrane integrity. Data suggest that WSSP may exert beneficial effects as a DNA chemopreventive and antitumor agent.

Assessment of changes in product quality and antioxidant activity of dried soursop (Annona muricata L.) during product storage.

Innovations for product preservation have attracted interest as they may increase the shelf-life of items when stored properly. In this study, the effects of various storage conditions, including four types of packaging (paper packaging, paper combined PE packaging, aluminum combined PE packaging, and plastic jar packaging) and temperatures (5, 15, 30, and 45 °C) on the quality of dried soursop were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the combination of plastic jar packaging and a storage temperature of 15 °C retained a significant portion of the initial total ascorbic acid content, total polyphenol content, and total flavonoid content. After four weeks of storage, the dried soursop preserve packaged in a plastic jar and stored at 15 °C exhibited a moisture content of 22.977 ± 0.093 %, total ascorbic acid content of 9.7 ± 0.46 mg/100gDW, total polyphenol content of 8.12 ± 0.06 mgGAE/gDW, total flavonoid content of 0.18 ± 0.02 mgQE/gDW, DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity of 0.69 ± 0.01 mgAA/gDW and 0.82 ± 0.01 mgAA/gDW, respectively. Moreover, the product meets the requirements of decision 46/2007/QD-BYT regulating the limits on biological and chemical contamination in food. The study offers valuable insights for the food industry in optimizing packaging and storage conditions to ensure the storage of quality and health-beneficial properties of this product.

In vitro Evaluation of Cytotoxic Effects of Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Annona muricata on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-15 Cell Lines and its Effect On Expression of Bcl 2-associated X protein, B-cell C/Lymphoma 2 and p53 Genes.

Background: Due to their wide spectrum of phytochemical components and lack of side effects, the use of plants for the prevention and treatment of cancer has recently attracted increased attention. One among them is Annona muricata, commonly called soursop. According to recent investigations, several types of cancer have been successfully treated using this plant's extracts. However, studies on oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are very limited. Aim: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the cytotoxic potential of leaf extract of A. muricata (LEAM) against oral tongue SCC-15 cell lines, using in vitro assays. Materials and Methods: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dipenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to assess cytotoxic activity, and the apoptotic effect was determined using gene expression analyses of Bcl 2-associated X protein (Bax), B-cell C/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and tumor-suppressor phosphoprotein (p53). Results: Significant cytotoxicity (P ≤ 0.05) with a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 40 µg/ml was observed with the LEAM on SCC-15 cell lines. A highly significant decrease was observed in Bcl-2 gene expression (P < 0.05), whereas p53 and BAX genes revealed a highly significant increase (P < 0.05) when SCC-15 cell lines were treated with LEAM in the study group compared to the control. Conclusion: These results show that LEAM has the potential for development as a therapeutic agent for cytotoxicity, particularly on oral SCC cells, following further investigation.

Effect of Ethanol Extract of Soursop (Annona muricata L.) Stem Bark on Rat Liver Function.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Paracetamol does not cause toxic effects if given in therapeutic doses, namely below 4 g per day. Use of paracetamol at a dose of more than 4 g per day can result in hepatotoxicity. This study aims to compare the hepatoprotector potency of the ethanol extract of soursop stem bark (<i>A. muricata</i>) against the enzyme activity of SGOT and SGPT in rats induced by toxic doses of paracetamol. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) comprised of 6 treatment groups and 3 replications. Total 27 white male rats were induced hepatotoxicity with 1350 mg of paracetamol on the 7th day, except for normal control (K0) which was given aquadest. The tested animals received akuades as the negative control (K-) 11.34 mg kg¹ b.wt., of Hepa-Q as the positive control (K+), ethanol extract stem bark <i>Annona muricata</i> at a dose of 150 mg kg¹ BB (P1), 300 mg kg¹ BB (P2) and 600 mg kg¹ BB (P3). <b>Results:</b> There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the levels of SGOT and SGPT after giving ethanol extract of soursop (<i>A. muricata</i>) stem bark. The best treatment for reducing SGOT and SGPT levels in rats induced by paracetamol was the administration of ethanol extract of <i>A. muricata</i> stem bark at a dose of 600 mg kg¹ BB. <b>Conclusion:</b> Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that all ethanol extract of <i>Annona muricata</i> L. stem bark (EEAMSB) doses had the potential to reduce the levels of AST and ALT in paracetamol-induced rats.

Evaluation of the cytotoxic, anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and pro-apoptotic effect of aqueous leaf extract of Annona muricata on oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line (SCC-15): An in vitro study.

Background: Oral cancer still represents the leading cause of mortality in India. Due to the drawbacks of current treatment options, a safe, low-cost therapy is the need of the hour. Recently, novel plant extracts with anti-cancer properties have gained greater attention. One among them is Annona muricata and its leaf extract, which has been studied for its anti-cancer effect against various cancers. However, studies on oral cancer cells are very much limited and hence the study. Aims: To evaluate the cytotoxic, anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and pro-apoptotic effect of aqueous leaf extract of Annona muricata (ALEAM) against SCC-15 cell lines through in vitro assays. Materials and Methods: In vitro assays such as MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide], colony formation and wound healing assays were performed. Furthermore, to evaluate the underlying mechanism, gene and protein expression analysis of apoptotic/anti-apoptotic marker genes Bax, P53 and Bcl2, were done using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Student's t-test has been performed for analysis of experimental data. Results: The results showed that ALEAM exhibited significant cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner as well as inhibited colony formation and cell migration. The pro-apoptotic properties were affirmed by a highly significant drop in Bcl-2 gene expression and a highly significant rise in P53 and Bax genes in the study group compared to the control (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The current study provides evidence that ALEAM has the potential to be developed as a novel anti-cancer drug for the treatment of SCC after further clinical studies.

LCMS/MS Phytochemical Profiling, Molecular, Pathological, and Immune-Histochemical Studies on the Anticancer Properties of Annona muricata.

Annona muricate is a tropical plant that is well-known for its edible fruit of therapeutic interest. LCMS/MS analyses were applied to identify phytoconstituents of the ethanolic extract of the whole fruits and the aqueous extract of the edible fruit part, in addition to the investigation of their anticancer properties against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in male albino mice. LCMS/MS analyses resulted in the identification of 388 components, representing a wide array of classes of compounds, including acetogenins as the major constituents, alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolics. Among them, four compounds were tentatively characterized as new compounds (1-4), including an acid derivative, protocatechuic-coumaroyl-quinic acid (1), and three flavonoid derivatives, dihydromyricetin galloyl hexoside (2), apigenin gallate (3), and dihydromyricetin hexouronic acid hexoside (4). Induction with EAC cells resulted in abnormalities in the gene expression of pro-apoptotic genes (Bax and caspase-3) and anti-apoptotic gene (Bcl-2) in the tumor mass. Moreover, microscopic, histopathological, and immune-histochemical examinations of the tumor mass and liver tissues exhibited extensive growth of malignant Ehrlich carcinoma cells and marked hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes and infiltration by tumor cells to liver tissue with marked inflammatory reaction. These abnormalities were markedly ameliorated aftertreatment of EAC mice with A. muricata extracts.

A Proteomic Study of the Bioactivity of Annona muricata Leaf Extracts in HT-1080 Fibrosarcoma Cells.

Graviola (Annona muricata) is a tropical plant with many traditional ethnobotanic uses and pharmacologic applications. A metabolomic study of both aqueous and DMSO extracts from Annona muricata leaves recently allowed us to identify dozens of bioactive compounds. In the present study, we use a proteomic approach to detect altered patterns in proteins on both conditioned media and extracts of HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells under treatment conditions, revealing new potential bioactivities of Annona muricata extracts. Our results reveal the complete sets of deregulated proteins after treatment with aqueous and DMSO extracts from Annona muricata leaves. Functional enrichment analysis of proteomic data suggests deregulation of cell cycle and iron metabolism, which are experimentally validated in vitro. Additional experimental data reveal that DMSO extracts protect HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells and HMEC-1 endothelial cells from ferroptosis. Data from our proteomic study are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD042354.

An evaluation of the quality of Annona muricata leaf products.

OBJECTIVES: Annona muricata, also known as graviola, is traditionally used for the treatment of a range of disorders including cancer. Interest in A. muricata use has increased in recent years. This study investigated the quality and safety of a selection of commercially available A. muricata leaf products. METHODS: Seven commercially available products were purchased via online shopping sites. Each product was assessed for quality indicators including weight variation, quantification of the bioactive constituent annonacin, presence of annonaceous acetogenins and contaminants. The samples were evaluated by thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, low-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Microbial analysis was carried out in accordance with the British Pharmacopoeia. Heavy metals were analysed by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry. KEY FINDINGS: Of the seven products analysed, one product contained less than half of the content stated on the label. The labelled dosage recommendation varied between products. There was a high variation in annonacin concentration (1.05-3.09 mg/g) and the presence of annonaceous acetogenins. One of the products was found to have a total aerobic microbial count above the United States Pharmacopoeia limit. CONCLUSIONS: The variation in the indicators of quality and safety of commercially available A. muricata leaf products tested have implications for clinicians and people living with cancer who use these herbal products.

Comparative anticancer effects of Annona muricata Linn (Annonaceae) leaves and fruits on DMBA-induced breast cancer in female rats.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have reported the anti-cancer effects of different parts of Annona muricata Linn, however ; most of them focused on the in vitro evaluation of isolates. In vivo evidence on which part is best suited for breast cancer chemoprevention remains to be demonstrated. This is a comparative study of the effects of A. muricata fruit and leaves extracts on DMBA induced-breast cancer in rats. METHODS: Rats exposed to DMBA (50 mg/kg, s.c.), were treated with A. muricata fruit aqueous extract at 200 mg/kg BW (3 days/week or daily) and A. muricata Linn leaves ethanolic extract at 200 mg/kg daily. Positive control group received tamoxifen at 3.3 mg/kg, while the normal and diseased controls received vehicle. After 20 weeks of treatment, the tumor incidence, tumor burden, tumor volume, histopathology, protein and CA 15 - 3 levels as well as antioxidant status, pro-inflammatory cytokines were assessed. RESULTS: Thus, 100% of diseased rats presented cribriform ductal carcinoma of SBR grade III. A. muricata extracts (leaves and fruit) and tamoxifen significantly reduced death and tumor incidences, volume and weight of the tumors, total protein and CA15-3 levels compared to the DMBA group. They exhibited antioxidant activity, through an increase in the GSH level and SOD and catalase activities with reduced levels of MDA compared to DMBA group. TNF-α, IL-6 and INF-γ levels reduced with regards to A. muricata treatment. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the anti-breast cancer effect of A. muricata, however, the aqueous fruit extract was more potent than the ethanolic leaves extract.

Green synthesis of novel YMnO3-doped TiO2 for enhanced visible-light- driven photocatalytic degradation of malachite green.

Recently, new methods of utilizing chemistry materials to overcome environmental issues worldwide, for instance, water purification have widely evolved since it is well-aligned with the sustainable development goals 6: clean water and sanitation. These issues have become a vital research topic for researchers in the last decade, particularly, the use of green photocatalyst due to the limitation of renewable resources. Herein, we report the modification of titanium dioxide with yttrium manganite (TiO2/YMnO3) by a novel high-speed stirring technique in n-hexane-water utilizing Annona muricata L. leaf extracts (AMLE). The YMnO3 incorporation in the presence of TiO2 was introduced to accelerate the photocatalytic performance for the degradation of malachite green in aqueous media. TiO2 modification with YMnO3 presented a drastic decline of bandgap energy from 3.34 to 2.38 eV and the highest rate constant (kapp) of 2.275 × 10-2 min-1. Surprisingly, TiO2/YMnO3 exhibited an extraordinary photodegradation efficiency of 95.34%, which was 1.9-fold higher than that of TiO2 under visible light illumination. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the formation of a TiO2/YMnO3 heterojunction, narrower optical band gap, excellent charge carrier separation. H+ and .O2- were the major scavenger species that play a significant role in the photodegradation of malachite green. Additionally, TiO2/YMnO3 shows outstanding stability over five cycles of photocatalytic reaction without significant loss of its effectiveness. This work presents a recent understanding of the green construction of a novel TiO2-based YMnO3 photocatalyst with excellent efficiency in the visible region for environmental technology application in water purification specifically in degrading organic dyes.

Antibiofilm potential of Annona muricata L. ethanolic extract against multi-drug resistant Candida albicans.

ETNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional uses of Annona muricata L. (soursop) include treatment for cancer, fungal infections, and inflammatory diseases. Its phytoconstituents, mainly acetogenins and alkaloids, are associated with therapeutic activity and clinical application is currently under investigation. However, the application of phytotherapy to treat diseases caused by fungal biofilms, such as vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), is still limited. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the activity of the ethanolic extract of A. muricata leaves (AML) against biofilms formed by multiresistant Candida albicans (ATCC® 10231) both in vitro and in a VVC experimental model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: C. albicans biofilms were grown and their adhesion, proliferation, development, and matrix composition studied by spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), whole slide imaging (WSI), and biochemical assays without or with AML treatment. In parallel, in vivo experiments were conducted using a murine model of infection treated with different concentrations of the extract and nystatin. Fungal burden and histological changes were investigated. RESULTS: The proliferation and adhesion of C. albicans biofilms were significantly reduced as confirmed by SEM and WSI quantitative analyses. Furthermore, the concentration of carbohydrates, proteins and DNA was reduced in the biofilm matrix. In vivo assays demonstrated that AML was able to reduce the fungal burden and the inflammatory process. CONCLUSIONS: The findings further emphasized the therapeutic and scientific potential of AML, thus encouraging its future use in the treatment of VVC.