Corrigendum: An in vitro study to elucidate the effects of Product Nkabinde on immune response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy donors.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1308913.].

An in vitro study to elucidate the effects of product Nkabinde on immune response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy donors.

Introduction: A significant number of the South African population still rely on traditional medicines (TM) as their primary healthcare due to their belief in their holistic healing and immune-boosting properties. However, little to no scientific data is available on the effects of most TM products on cytokine and cellular biomarkers of the immune response. Here, we evaluated the impact of traditional medicine [Product Nkabinde (PN)] in inducing cellular and cytokine biomarkers of inflammation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from eight healthy volunteers. Methods: PN was supplied by a local Traditional Health Practitioner (THP). The IC50 (half maximum concentration) of the standardized extract on isolated PBMCs was established using the cell viability assay over 24 h of incubation. Luminex and flow cytometry assays were used to measure cytokine and cellular levels in PBMCs stimulated with PN and/or PHA over 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Results: The IC50 concentration of PN in treated PBMCs was established at 325.3 µg/mL. In the cellular activation assay, the percentages of CD38-HLA-DR + on total CD4+ T cells were significantly increased in PBMCs stimulated with PN compared to unstimulated controls after 24 h (p = 0.008). PN significantly induced the production of anti-inflammatory IL-10 (p = 0.041); proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α (p = 0.003), TNF-α (p < 0.0001); and chemokine MIP-1ß (p = 0.046) compared to the unstimulated control after 24 h. At 48 h incubation, the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α (p = 0.034) and TNF-α (p = 0.011) were significantly induced following treatment with PN. Conclusion: We conclude that the PN possesses in vitro immunomodulatory properties that may influence immune and inflammatory responses. More studies using PN are needed to further understand key parameters mediating induction, expression, and regulation of the immune response in the context of pathogen-associated infections.

Green Synthesis and Evaluation of Lepidium didymum-mediated Silver Nanoparticles for in vitro Antibacterial Activity and Wound Healing in the Animal Model.

Wounds serve as an appropriate medium for the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and bacterial resistance to already available antibiotics demands new and safe approaches in the field of medicine. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibited a wide range of applications in biomedicine and emerged as promising nano-antibiotics. The biological preparation of AgNPs by utilizing aqueous plant extract has become an encouraging alternative to traditional chemical methodologies, owing to a viable eco-friendly approach. In the present study, Lepidium didymum leaves extract was used for the biosynthesis of AgNPs-LD. The nanoparticles were characterized through UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectrometry (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial activity of AgNPs-LD was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Further, AgNPs-LD nanoparticles were incorporated into topical gels to evaluate their effectiveness for wound healing in the rat model. UV-visible spectra showed a surface resonance peak around 400 nm correlated with the synthesis of AgNPs; FTIR spectra verified the participation of phytochemicals present in L. didymum leaves extract in AgNPs-LD synthesis; and SEM revealed dispersed spherical nanoparticles as well as aggregated clusters. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature, face-centered cubic lattice, and average crystallite size of 21.42 nm. The AgNPs-LD showed promising antibacterial activity against tested strains with a maximum zone of inhibition against P. aeruginosa and showed accelerated wound healing capacity comparable to control and standard treatments over the time course of wound healing. The current study concluded that biosynthesized AgNPs-LD nanoparticles are effective as antibacterial agents and are promising novel wound healing products for clinical applications.

Finding Patterns of Meaning: Margaret Newman's Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness.

This article presents an evaluation of Margaret Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness, through a literature review, to determine its usefulness for nursing practice and research. The evaluation illustrates that Newman's theory is valuable for guiding various aspects of nursing practice, education, and research. However, its use had been limited to spiritual, psychological, and social aspects of nursing care and needs to be further evaluated for its significance in acute care settings. Most of the studies that use Newman's theory are from the past, with limited studies conducted in recent years, indicating the need for further research.