Haemostatic potency of sodium alginate/aloe vera/sericin composite scaffolds - preparation, characterisation, and evaluation.

Fabrication of haemostatic materials with excellent antimicrobial, biocompatible and biodegradable properties remains as a major challenge in the field of medicine. Haemostatic agents play vital role in protecting patients and military individuals during emergency situations. Natural polymers serve as promising materials for fabricating haemostatic compounds due to their efficacy in promoting hemostasis and wound healing. In the present work, sodium alginate/aloe vera/sericin (SA/AV/S) scaffold has been fabricated using a simple cost-effective casting method. The prepared SA/AV/S scaffolds were characterised for their physicochemical properties such as scanning electron microscope, UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy. SA/AV/S scaffold showed good mechanical strength, swelling behaviour and antibacterial activity. In vitro experiments using erythrocytes proved the hemocompatible and biocompatible features of SA/AV/S scaffold. In vitro blood clotting assay performed using human blood demonstrated the haemostatic and blood absorption properties of SA/AV/S scaffold. Scratch wound assay was performed to study the wound healing efficacy of prepared scaffolds. Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay carried out using fertilised embryos proved the angiogenic property of SA/AV/S scaffold. Thus, SA/AV/S scaffold could serve as a potential haemostatic healthcare product due to its outstanding haemostatic, antimicrobial, hemocompatible, biocompatible and angiogenic properties.

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and isolation and characterization of a new bioactive compound, 3,4,9-trimethyl-7-propyldecanoic acid from Vitex negundo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Herbal medicines derived from plant extraction are affordable, more therapeutically effective, and have fewer side effects than contemporary medications. Vitex negundo L. (V. negundo). is a medicinal shrub, which contains numerous phytoconstituents. In ancient medicinal practices, V. negundo was primarily prescribed as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics of crude extracts from V. negundo leaves, including those derived from petroleum ether (P), methanol (M), and aqueous (A) solvents. Additionally, the research seeks to identify the specific bioactive compounds responsible for these observed properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The nitric oxide scavenging study was performed to evaluate the V. negundo crude extract's ability to function as a nitric oxide scavenger. Protein denaturation and proteinase inhibition experiments were employed to study the ability of extracts to suppress proteolysis and inhibit the enzymes that cause tissue injury. The membrane-stabilizing potency of plant extracts were examined through the process of heat-induced hemolysis. The ability of the extracts to neutralize free radicals showed a dose-dependent response, and the aqueous extract exhibited substantially higher activity in both FRAP and DPPH. The GC-MS analysis of V. negundo extracts revealed a vast array of pharmacologically active metabolites. Based on this Bioassay-guided fractionation approach, the optimal extract was selected for the potent molecule isolation and characterization. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that the aqueous extract of V. negundo exhibited markedly superior radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory capabilities compared to the other two extracts. Furthermore, a new molecule, 3,4,9-trimethyl-7-propyldecanoic acid was isolated from this extract, and its chemical structure was successfully determined. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the aqueous extract of V. negundo demonstrated notably stronger in vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in comparison to the methanol and petroleum ether extracts. The identified active compound, 3,4,9-trimethyl-7-propyldecanoic acid is likely responsible for the extract's free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, conducting both in vitro and in vivo studies is crucial to substantiate the potential of this active constituent for the development of an anti-inflammatory drug derived from V. negundo.

Current Innovations in Intraocular Pressure Monitoring Biosensors for Diagnosis and Treatment of Glaucoma-Novel Strategies and Future Perspectives.

Biosensors are devices that quantify biologically significant information required for diverse applications, such as disease diagnosis, food safety, drug discovery and detection of environmental pollutants. Recent advancements in microfluidics, nanotechnology and electronics have led to the development of novel implantable and wearable biosensors for the expedient monitoring of diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma and cancer. Glaucoma is an ocular disease which ranks as the second leading cause for loss of vision. It is characterized by the increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) in human eyes, which results in irreversible blindness. Currently, the reduction of IOP is the only treatment used to manage glaucoma. However, the success rate of medicines used to treat glaucoma is quite minimal due to their curbed bioavailability and reduced therapeutic efficacy. The drugs must pass through various barriers to reach the intraocular space, which in turn serves as a major challenge in glaucoma treatment. Rapid progress has been observed in nano-drug delivery systems for the early diagnosis and prompt therapy of ocular diseases. This review gives a deep insight into the current advancements in the field of nanotechnology for detecting and treating glaucoma, as well as for the continuous monitoring of IOP. Various nanotechnology-based achievements, such as nanoparticle/nanofiber-based contact lenses and biosensors that can efficiently monitor IOP for the efficient detection of glaucoma, are also discussed.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Polymeric Biomaterials in Treating Diabetic Wounds-An Upcoming Wound Healing Technology.

Diabetic wounds are one of the serious, non-healing, chronic health issues faced by individuals suffering from diabetic mellitus. The distinct phases of wound healing are either prolonged or obstructed, resulting in the improper healing of diabetic wounds. These injuries require persistent wound care and appropriate treatment to prevent deleterious effects such as lower limb amputation. Although there are several treatment strategies, diabetic wounds continue to be a major threat for healthcare professionals and patients. The different types of diabetic wound dressings that are currently used differ in their properties of absorbing wound exudates and may also cause maceration to surrounding tissues. Current research is focused on developing novel wound dressings incorporated with biological agents that aid in a faster rate of wound closure. An ideal wound dressing material must absorb wound exudates, aid in the appropriate exchange of gas, and protect from microbial infections. It must support the synthesis of biochemical mediators such as cytokines, and growth factors that are crucial for faster healing of wounds. This review highlights the recent advances in polymeric biomaterial-based wound dressings, novel therapeutic regimes, and their efficacy in treating diabetic wounds. The role of polymeric wound dressings loaded with bioactive compounds, and their in vitro and in vivo performance in diabetic wound treatment are also reviewed.

Sericin/Human Placenta-Derived Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Cutaneous Wound Treatment-Preparation, Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Analyses.

Human placenta is loaded with an enormous amount of endogenous growth factors, thereby making it a superior biomaterial for tissue regeneration. Sericin is a naturally occurring silk protein that is extensively used for biomedical applications. In the present work, sericin and human placenta-derived extracellular matrix were blended and fabricated in the form of scaffolds using the freeze-drying method for cutaneous wound treatment. The prepared sericin/placenta-derived extracellular matrix (SPEM) scaffolds were characterized to determine their morphology, functional groups, mechanical strength, and antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscopic analysis of the scaffolds showed smooth surfaces with interconnected pores. In vitro MTT and scratch wound assays performed using HaCaT cells proved the non-toxic and wound-healing efficacy of SPEM scaffolds. In vivo CAM assay using fertilized chick embryos proved the angiogenic potency of the scaffolds. Animal experiments using Wistar albino rats proved that the open excision wounds treated with SPEM scaffolds significantly reduced wound size with collagen deposition. These results confirm that SPEM scaffolds can serve as a promising biomaterial for tissue regeneration.

Phytochemical analysis, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity of Calotropis gigantea and its therapeutic applications.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Herbal remedies can be used to treat a variety of chronic inflammatory illnesses, like rheumatoid arthritis and leprosy. The plant Calotropis gigantea (C. gigantea) belongs to the family Apocynaceae. To treat numerous contagious diseases, C. gigantea is utilized alone or combine with certain medicinal herbs. Traditional Asian and African practitioners employed C. gigantea to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions like boils, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, leprosy and other disorders. AIM OF THE STUDY: The goal of this study is to examine the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of C. gigantea leaf extracts extracted using methanol, petroleum ether, and water. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The leaf extracts of C. gigantea were obtained using the Soxhlet extraction technique. The phytoconstituents present in all three C. gigantea leaf extracts were confirmed by qualitative analysis, and the amounts of the alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and phenols found in the extracts were quantified. C. gigantea crude extracts were subjected to a nitric oxide scavenging experiment to assess their free radical scavenging activities. Protein denaturation and proteinase inhibition assays were used to investigate the effectiveness of extracts to restrict denaturation of protein and to inhibit key enzymes responsible for tissue damage. Further, the membrane stabilization efficacy of plant extracts were examined by the heat-induced hemolysis method. The DPPH and FRAP experiments were performed to determine the antioxidant effectiveness of phytoconstituents extracted using different solvents. The GC-MS study of plant C. gigantea methanolic, aqueous and petroleum ether extracts displayed a broad range of compounds that possess beneficial therapeutic effects. RESULTS: This study reveals that the methanolic extract of C. gigantea provides significantly more anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity than other extracts. CONCLUSION: Compared to the aqueous and petroleum ether extracts, the methanolic leaf extract of C. gigantea demonstrated greater in vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.