Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity and Cytotoxic Effect of Nigella sativa, Syzygium aromaticum, and Allium cepa Formulation for Use As Antimicrobial Gel or Mouthwash.

BACKGROUND: Black cumin/Nigella sativa is traditionally used for its wide range of medicinal effects. Clove/Syzygium aromaticum is well known as a natural antibiotic with antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, and onion/Allium cepa for its antibacterial properties. The combination of these extracts can effectively have many therapeutic applications. AIM: The aim of the present study is to prepare the formulation of N. sativa, S. aromaticum, A. cepa and to assess the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effect of the prepared formulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Antimicrobial activity was carried out by agar well diffusion method and cytotoxic activity was carried out using the brine shrimp lethality assay method. RESULTS: The antimicrobial activity showed the zone of inhibition was highest with Staphylococcus aureus showing 22 mm of zone of inhibition at 100 µl. The cytotoxicity test showed there are about 90% live nauplii in the lowest concentration at 5 µl. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that the combination extract of N. sativa, S. aromaticum, and A. cepa could be used as an antimicrobial agent. Further research with pathogenic oral microorganisms can validate this formulation as an antimicrobial gel or mouthwash for various pathologies.

Efficacy of copper oxide nanoparticles using Piper longum and Piper betle.

It is of interest to evaluate the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of copper nanoparticles synthesized using Piper longum and Piper betle. The copper nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques and found to have a diameter between 30 and 90 nm. The nanoparticles exhibited significant antibacterial activity against E. faecalis, S. aureus, C. albicans, and S. Mutans, comparable to gold standards. They also demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects similar to the gold standard values. Furthermore, the copper nanoparticles displayed antioxidant capabilities, with maximum inhibition of 85.16% at 50 g/ml and a minimum inhibition of 50.62% at 10 g/ml. Overall, the study suggests that Piper longum and Piper betle mediated copper nanoparticles possess promising antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, indicating their potential use in various applications.

The Development and Evaluation of Melatonin-Loaded, Calcium Oxide Nanoparticle-Based Neem and Clove Extract: An In Vitro Study.

Background Various local drug delivery systems have been tried so far to target microorganisms responsible for periodontitis. However, none of them were effective enough to destroy the periodontal pathogens. This study aimed to analyze the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of melatonin-loaded, calcium oxide nanoparticles-based neem and clove extract against oral pathogens to be further used as a local delivery agent. Methodology Powdered fresh neem leaves and clove buds were weighed, added to double distilled water, and then boiled for half an hour. Boiling helps in activating the phytochemicals present in the extract. The solution was boiled further to obtain a concentrated solution. To this 0.241 g of melatonin powder dissolved in 10 mL of double distilled water was added to the previous mixture and left undisturbed in a stirrer overnight. Results The properties of the extract such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity, and embryonic toxicology were studied. In the case of antimicrobial activity, at 100 µg/mL, the zone of inhibition (ZOI) was the highest at 18 ± 0.16 µg/mL and the lowest at 13 ± 0.3 at 25 µg/mL for Candida albicans. Similarly, at 100 µg/mL, the ZOI was the highest at 15 ± 0.25 µg/mL and the lowest was 13 ± 0.12 at 25 µg/mL for Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus. Similarly, in the case of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, they showed increased activity with increased concentrations of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 µg/mL. Conclusions This study proves that melatonin-added extracts have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties which are almost equal to that of the standard. This indicates that they can be possibly further used as local delivery drugs. Further animal or cell line studies should be conducted before experimenting this is in clinical trials for periodontitis patients.

Identification of Pathogenic Missense Mutations in the CHRNA5 Gene: A Computational Approach.

Aim The CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene locus is closely related to nicotine dependence and other smoking-related disorders. Coupling genetic and clinical studies of nicotine dependence and smoking behaviors may open new avenues for medication development. The aim of this study is to investigate the functional missense mutations in the CHRNA5 gene. Methodology The Ensembl database was used to gather data on missense mutations of the human CHRNA5 gene. Computational tools viz. SIFT (Sorting Intolerant From Tolerant), PolyPhen (Polymorphism Phenotyping), PROVEAN (Protein Variation Effect Analyzer), I-Mutant, and MutPred were used to uncover the pathogenic mutations in the gene under investigation.  Results Among 161 missense variants reported inthe CHRNA5 gene, 94 variants were found to be highly pathogenic. Moreover, 20 were pathogenic and 4 were not pathogenic. Conclusion The computational analysis disclosed harmful mutations in the CHRNA5 gene which could be potentially associated with smoking-related traits.

Evaluation of the Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxic Effects of Chitosan Thiocolchicoside-Lauric Acid Nanogel.

AIM: The present study explored the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic effects of a combination of chitosan thiocolchicoside and lauric acid (CTLA) nanogel.  Materials and methods: A nanogel formulation of thiocolchicoside and lauric acid was developed and tested for potential applications. The antimicrobial activity was assessed using the well diffusion method, while the antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) antioxidant assay methods. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined through the egg albumin denaturation method, the bovine serum albumin denaturation method, and the membrane stabilization assay. A brine shrimp lethality assay was used to study the cytotoxic effect of the nanogel. RESULTS: We identified significant positive outcomes for the CTLA nanogel. The results showed a percentage of inhibition of 81% at 50µg/mL, which showed the nanogel's significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting bovine serum albumin denaturation. The anti-inflammatory properties of the nanogel were comparable to the standard diclofenac sodium at all tested concentrations. The egg albumin denaturation assay results revealed a percentage inhibition of 76% at 50 µg/mL. In the membrane stabilization assay, a percentage inhibition of 86% was obtained at a concentration of 50 µg/mL against 89% for the standard drug. The nanogel exhibited a zone of inhibition of 20 mm against Streptococcus mutans and 22 mm with a dilution of 100 µg/mL of CTLA nanogel against Staphylococcus aureus. The antioxidant activity was studied by using the DPPH method, 50 µg/ml has an 89% inhibition, which was similar to the standard. The inhibitory activity of CTLA nanogel at 50 µg/ml was 81.6% in the hydroxyl free radical scavenging assay, which was comparable to the standard drug. At 5 µg/mL concentration of CTLA nanogel, approximately 90% of the nauplii remained alive after 48 hours. CONCLUSION: The CTLA nanogel showed excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties suggesting its potential for managing inflammatory conditions and oxidative stress-related disorders.

Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Chamomile and Green Tea Extracts and Evaluation of Their Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity: An In Vitro Study.

Background An important field of study in contemporary material science is the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. The wide range of uses for zinc nanoparticles in industries like diagnosis and antimicrobial catalysis has sparked particular interest in them. Plant extracts are used to synthesize zinc nanoparticles, opening up a wide range of potential applications. Hence, the current study aims to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles mediated by green tea and chamomile tea combination. Materials and methods Leaves of green tea and chamomile tea were combined in a ratio of 1 gram each. To make a 1-molar solution of the extract, the weighted extracts were thoroughly mixed with 100 ml of distilled water in conical flasks. To synthesize nanoparticles, a magnetic stirrer and an orbital shaker were used alternately with an extract of chamomile and green tea, 0.016 g of zinc oxide, and 90 ml of distilled water at 900 rpm. By using an albumin denaturation assay, the synthesized nanoparticles' anti-inflammatory activity was assessed. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and egg albumin (EA) were the reagents used in the assay. The antioxidant activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles, which is mediated by chamomile and green tea, was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) radical scavenging assays. An independent sample t-test was done to compare the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials of zinc oxide nanoparticles mediated by green tea and chamomile tea combination and control using SPSS Statistics version 22.0 software (IBM Corp. Released 2013. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.), and any p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results In this study, the anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant activity were assessed at variable concentrations of the reaction mixture. The combination of chamomile and green tea extracts mediated by zinc oxide nanoparticles at 50µl concentration showed the maximum anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant activity at 87% inhibition, respectively. Conclusion Both assays successfully demonstrated better anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles mediated by chamomile and green tea combination when compared to control and, therefore, could be evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent.

Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity of Terminalia arjuna.

Terminalia arjuna is one of the important herbal plants with cardioprotective, antihyperlipidemic activity and many more applications. In the present investigation, In order to find out the protective role, we prepared aqueous and ethanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna. The objective of this study was to comparatively evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous and ethanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna and to compare between the two. Antimicrobial activity of the plant extract was assessed by using agar well diffusion method against oral pathogens. The anti-inflammatory activity of prepared Terminalia arjuna plant extract was analyzed using egg albumin denaturation assay. The results of this study, showed that both aqueous and ethanolic extract had very good antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas species followed by Escherichia coli. However, the aqueous extract showed higher anti-inflammatory activity when compared with ethanolic extract. So it can be concluded that aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna could be used as a local drug delivery agent in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

Evaluation of Anti-inflammatory and Antimicrobial Properties of Mustard Seed Extract-Based Hydrogel: An In Vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: Mustard has been regarded as one of the world's most extensively produced and useful plants as well as one of the oldest condiments ever. The aim of the study was to develop and analyse the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of mustard seed extract. METHODS: The extract was prepared by using a double filtration technique and anti-inflammatory properties were checked using egg albumin assay and bovine serum albumin assay and diclofenac sodium was the control. The antimicrobial property was evaluated by the Kirby-Bauer test and chlorhexidine gel was the control. The species included were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. RESULTS: The results showed that the anti-inflammatory property of mustard seed extract is comparable to diclofenac sodium whereas the maximum zone of inhibition was seen against C. albicans. CONCLUSION:  This study discovered that mustard seed extract has potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity against a variety of oral microorganisms. These findings indicate that this hydrogel was highly active against the tested pathogens and will be effective in the treatment of periodontitis.

In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Potentials of Herbal Formulation Containing Marigold Flower (Calendula officinalis L.) Tea.

Aim To assess the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Calendula officinalis tea formulation. Materials and methods In this study, a formulation of 2 grams of dried marigold flower petals and 100 milliliters (ml) of distilled water was subjected to anti-inflammatory testing using albumin denaturation assay and anti-protease activity and antioxidant testing by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) assay. An independent sample t-test was done to compare the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials of marigold tea formulation and control using SPSS version 22.0 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), and any p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The highest anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of marigold extract were exhibited at 10 microliters (µl) and 20 µl (p-value = 0.002 and 0.000), respectively. The anti-inflammatory activity was higher than the control at all concentrations, whereas the antioxidant activity was higher at lower concentrations when compared to higher concentrations. Conclusion Marigold flower tea formulation exhibited better anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities than the controls and therefore could be evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent.

Cytocompatibility and Wound Healing Activity of Chitosan Thiocolchicoside Lauric Acid Nanogel in Human Gingival Fibroblast Cells.

AIM: To investigate the cytocompatibility effect and wound healing activity of chitosan thiocolchicoside lauric acid (CTL) nanogel using human gingival fibroblast (hGF) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: hGF cells were established from gingival tissue as per the standard cell isolation protocol. The cytocompatibility effect was assessed using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. A scratch wound healing assay was performed to assess the wound-healing potential of CTL nanogel. For the nuclear morphological changes analysis, acridine orange staining was used in gingival fibroblast cells. The stained nuclei were viewed under a fluorescent microscope. ANOVA with posthoc analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 5 software (Dotmatics, Boston, Massachusetts). The significance level (p-value) was expressed as <0.05.  Results: CTL nanogel did not show any significant cytotoxicity at concentrations 10-80 µl/ml (p<0.05). CTL nanogel at a concentration of 40µl/ml has a cytocompatibility effect on hGF cells and increases cell viability. In vitro scratch wound healing assay resulted in faster wound healing and cell migration with CTL nanogel when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: CTL nanogel has a significant effect on cell proliferation at various concentrations, which suggests its use as a safe and effective drug delivery system.

Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Lycopene, Vitamin E, and Lycopene-Vitamin E Combination Against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans: An In Vitro Study.

Background Lycopene is a naturally occurring compound classified as a carotenoid, a group of pigments responsible for the vibrant colors observed in many fruits and vegetables. It is most commonly associated with red-colored fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and papaya. Vitamin E encompasses a group of chemical compounds that share a structural relationship with alpha-tocopherol and are essential for the proper functioning of the human body. It is a fat-soluble vitamin and is known for its antioxidant properties. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of lycopene extract, vitamin E extract, and their combination against oral pathogens for their potential application in the treatment of oral diseases. Materials and methods The potential antimicrobial effects of extracts derived from lycopene, vitamin E, and their combination were evaluated against oral commensals like Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. Three concentrations (25 µl, 50 µl, and 100 µl) of the extract were tested. Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) and Rose Bengal agar (RBA) bases were utilized to determine the zone of inhibition. And the experiments were repeated in triplicate for each group. Results The identification and assessment of the antimicrobial activity of lycopene extract, vitamin E extract, and their combination revealed the greatest efficacy at the highest concentration (100 µl) against all tested microbial strains. Notably, C. albicans exhibited the highest susceptibility compared to the other strains. Vitamin E had the least antimicrobial effect and combination had the highest antimicrobial effect. Conclusion The results of our study demonstrated substantial antimicrobial activity of lycopene and vitamin E. These findings suggest that lycopene and vitamin E can be harnessed in the development of diverse drug formulations for the treatment of oral diseases.

In vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Neem and Kirata herbal formulation mediated Silver nanoparticles.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) gain great interest among noble metal nanoparticles due to their broad applications in medicine, dentistry, drug delivery, tissue and tumour imaging, biolabeling, and biosensing. The antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic activity of AgNPs is well documented in the literature. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Neem and Kirata herbal formulation-mediated silver nanoparticles against oral biofilm. The green synthesis of Neem and Kirata herbal formulation-mediated silver nanoparticles was done. The antimicrobial action against the strains of Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus mutans were assessed. The results showed that the newly formulated nanoparticle had effective anti-microbial properties and decreased cytotoxic properties which make it advantageous for clinical applications and treatment modalities. It showed great potential for the nanoparticle in decreasing the bacterial effects and cytotoxic nature thereby providing future scope for clinical application in preventing oral biofilm formation and its deleterious effects.

Assessment of Pb, Cd, As and Hg concentration in edible parts of broiler in major metropolitan cities of Tamil Nadu, India.

The risk of heavy metals contamination in meat and meat products is of great concern for both food safety and from human health point of view. The present study was carried out to assess the heavy metal residues such as Pb, Cd, As and Hg in broiler chicken meat, neck and edible organs (liver and kidney). In the present study, 150 samples were randomly collected from major cities (Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, and Salem) of Tamil Nadu state, India and analyzed for Pb, Cd, As and Hg residues (mg/kg) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique. The results revealed that lead (Pb) concentration was higher in meat and liver samples of all cities and the highest concentration was detected in Chennai followed by Coimbatore, whereas in kidney and neck samples, Chennai metropolitan alone exceeded the MRL value of 0.5 and 0.1 mg/kg respectively. The residues of cadmium and mercury in meat and meat samples were within the permissible limit in all the metropolitans. Arsenic was found exceeding the MRL of 0.1 mg/kg in the breast samples of all the metropolitans (0.2141-2.2285 mg/kg, the highest being in Trichy), except for Madurai, which recorded very low value (0.0239 mg/kg). Arsenic was found in the range of 0.1110-1.0850 mg/kg in liver samples thus exceeding MRL value. Neck and kidney samples did not contain any Arsenic. Thus it can be concluded that the lead concentration in meat and edible organ samples collected from all the metropolitans exceeded the MRL values and is an indication of contamination. Appropriate precautions are warranted to minimize the heavy metal consumption contamination especially of Pb and As.

ß-Sitosterol-assisted silver nanoparticles activates Nrf2 and triggers mitochondrial apoptosis via oxidative stress in human hepatocellular cancer cell line.

Cancer nanomedicine is an emerging field of cancer therapeutics. Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing worldwide, and currently, it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This study investigates the cytotoxic potential of ß-sitosterol-assisted silver nanoparticles (BSS-SNPs) in HepG2 cells. The silver nanoparticles were synthesized using ß-sitosterol as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The characterization of BSS-SNPs was done by UV-visible spectrophotometry and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of BSS-SNPs for 24 hr, and cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. Intracellular ROS was investigated by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate staining. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) protein expression was investigated by immunofluorescence staining. Morphology-related to apoptotic changes were analyzed by annexin V staining. Intrinsic apoptosis pathwayrelated molecular markers were investigated by western blotting and PCR analysis. Spectrophotometry analysis confirmed a strong absorption peak at 420 nm, which showed the successful synthesis of BSS-SNPs. The TEM analysis indicated the spherical-, rod-, and hexagonal BSS-SNPs with the size ranges from 5 to 55 nm. BSS-SNPs significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced ROS and Nrf-2 expression in HepG2 cells. BSS-SNPs treatment caused apoptosis-related morphological changes and upregulated the pro-apoptotic markers such as bax, p53, cytochrome c, and caspases-9, -3 and downregulated bcl-2 expressions. Our findings suggest that BSS-SNPs might serve as potential drug candidates for HCC.

The potential of siRNA based drug delivery in respiratory disorders: Recent advances and progress.

Lung diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The currently available therapies are not sufficient, leading to the urgent need for new therapies with sustained anti-inflammatory effects. Small/short or silencing interfering RNA (siRNA) has potential therapeutic implications through post-transcriptional downregulation of the target gene expression. siRNA is essential in gene regulation, so is more favorable over other gene therapies due to its small size, high specificity, potency, and no or low immune response. In chronic respiratory diseases, local and targeted delivery of siRNA is achieved via inhalation. The effectual delivery can be attained by the generation of aerosols via inhalers and nebulizers, which overcomes anatomical barriers, alveolar macrophage clearance and mucociliary clearance. In this review, we discuss the different siRNA nanocarrier systems for chronic respiratory diseases, for safe and effective delivery. siRNA mediated pro-inflammatory gene or miRNA targeting approach can be a useful approach in combating chronic respiratory inflammatory conditions and thus providing sustained drug delivery, reduced therapeutic dose, and improved patient compliance. This review will be of high relevance to the formulation, biological and translational scientists working in the area of respiratory diseases.

Selenium nanoparticles: A potent chemotherapeutic agent and an elucidation of its mechanism.

Selenium nanoparticles have at present picked up a vital prospect in the field of medicine, due to their inquisitive properties when compared to other selenium compounds. They are comparatively better as anticancer, non- toxic, and biocompatible operators than selenite (SeO3-2) and selenate (SeO4-2) compounds. The mechanism behind the anticancerous property of SeNps is primarily due to the invasion of the apoptotic pathways and cell cycle arrest, which eventually lead to blockage of other pathways. Conjugation or surface modification of selenium nanoparticles enhances its anticancer adequacy by antibiotics, biomolecules or phytochemical compounds present in microbes or plants. Selenium, being an integral part of enzyme like glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and other seleno-chemical compounds, can enhance the chemotherapeutic activity by acting as a functional division of redox center and inhibiting the tissues from cellular damage by ROS. SeNps can open ways to new regular strategies for treating illnesses like malignancy, and this audit expresses the reasons why these nano measured medications can be the following huge achievement as chemotherapeutic operators.