Collagen Biocomposites Derived from Fish Waste: Doped and Cross-Linked with Functionalized Fe3O4 Nanoparticles and Their Comparative Studies with a Green Approach.

Collagen-based nanobiocomposites can reabsorb and are biodegradable. These properties are effectively controlled by the number of cross-links. This study demonstrates an effortless and proficient approach for the functionalization of Fe3O4 NPs for cross-linking collagen obtained from biowaste, viz., fish scales of Lates Calcarifer, a marine origin. The size of Fe3O4 NPs (10-40 nm) was confirmed using particle size analysis. The physico-chemical properties of the aminosilane-coated Fe3O4 NPs cross-linked via succinylated collagen (FFCSC) were characterized using different analytical techniques and compared with succinylated collagen doped with Fe3O4 NPs (FDSC). Thermogravimetric analysis indicates cross-linked product FFCSC to be more stable than the FDSC. Also, the antibacterial effect was more pronounced for FFCSC than for FDSC nanobiocomposites. FFCSC exhibited improved mechanical properties which are essential for materials used for wound dressing purposes. Moreover, the cell viability of fibroblasts (3T3-L1) and their morphology studied by SEM and fluorescence microscopy showed biocompatibility of both FDSC and FFCSC. Thus, the current investigation, involves a waste to wealth approach where the collagen-based nanobiocomposites present an easy way to recycle the biowaste to value-added products using simple and clean methods, which are suitable for use in biomedical and environmental applications.

Isolation and characterization of opuntiol from Opuntia Ficus indica (L. Mill) and its antiproliferative effect in KB oral carcinoma cells.

In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel bioactive flavonol from the cactus pad of Opuntia Ficus indica Indica (L. Mill) (OFI) by chromatography techniques. The isolated compound was characterized by FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Single-crystal XRD results illustrate that the obtained flavonol was opuntiol (6-hydroxymethyl-4-methoxy-2H-pyran-2-one) and it was found to be near planar except for the H atoms of the methylene and methyl groups. The crystal packing was stabilized by C-H….O and O-H….O intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The isolated opuntiol significantly inhibited KB cells proliferation and its IC50 value was found to be 30 µM. Further, we noticed that opuntiol significantly induced ROS generation and subsequently altered MMP in KB cells. Western blot analysis and morphological observations by fluorescence microscope indicate the apoptotic inducing potential of opuntiol in KB cells.