Chemical and biological properties of nordihydroguaiaretic acid

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a natural product obtained by the alkaline extraction of dried plants of Larrea tridentata species. Due to the biological properties presented, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and cytotoxic capacity, this compound is being increasingly studied. In this review, it was evaluated the benefits of NDGA against different animal models. Besides that, it was found that this compound has antitumor activity similar to its synthetic derivative terameprocol in prostate tumors. The hypoglycemic effect may be evidenced by the inhibition of sugar uptake by NDGA; in obesity, studies have observed that NDGA presented a positive regulatory effect for Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-α) involved in the oxidation of hepatic fatty acids and reduced the expression of lipogenic genes. Regarding its antioxidant potential, its mechanism is related to the ability to in vitro scavenging reactive substances. Although there are several studies demonstrating the benefits of using NDGA, there are also reports of its toxicity, mainly of liver damage and nephrotoxicity

Nanoparticles as a Tool for Broadening Antifungal Activities.

Fungal infections are diseases that are considered neglected although their infection rates have increased worldwide in the last decades. Thus, since the antifungal arsenal is restricted and many strains have shown resistance, new therapeutic alternatives are necessary. Nanoparticles are considered important alternatives to promote drug delivery. In this sense, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the contributions of newly developed nanoparticles to the treatment of fungal infections. Studies have shown that nanoparticles generally improve the biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic characteristics of antifungals, which is reflected in a greater pharmacodynamic potential and lower toxicity, as well as the possibility of prolonged action. It also offers the proposition of new routes of administration. Nanotechnology is known to contribute to a new drug delivery system, not only for the control of infectious diseases but for various other diseases as well. In recent years, several studies have emphasized its application in infectious diseases, presenting better alternatives for the treatment of fungal infections.

Is SCENA a good approach for side-stream integrated treatment from an environmental and economic point of view?

The environmental and economic benefits and burdens of including the first Short Cut Enhanced Nutrient Abatement (SCENA) into a real municipal wastewater treatment plant were evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC). The implications of accomplishing nitrogen (N) removal and phosphorus (P) recovery via nitrite in the side stream were assessed taking into account the actual effluent quality improvement, the changes in the electricity and chemical consumption, N2O, CO2 and CH4 emissions and the effects of land application of biosolids, among others. In addition, a case-specific estimation of the P availability when sludge is applied to land, therefore replacing conventional fertilizer, was performed. Furthermore, to account for the variability in input parameters, and to address the related uncertainties, Monte Carlo simulation was applied. The analysis revealed that SCENA in the side stream is an economic and environmentally friendly solution compared to the traditional plant layout with no side-stream treatment, thanks to the reduction of energy and chemical use for the removal of N and P, respectively. The uncertainty analysis proved the validity of the LCA results for global warming potential and impact categories related to the consumption of fossil-based electricity and chemicals, while robust conclusions could not be drawn on freshwater eutrophication and toxicity-related impact categories. Furthermore, three optimization scenarios were also evaluated proving that the performance of the WWTP can be further improved by, for instance, substituting gravitational for mechanical thickening of the sludge or changing the operational strategy to the chemically enhanced primary treatment, although this second alternative will increase the operational cost by 5%. Finally, the outcomes show that shifting P removal from chemical precipitation in the main line to biologically enhanced uptake in the side stream is key to reducing chemicals use, thus the operational cost, and increasing the environmental benefit of synthetic fertilizers replacement.