Garlic Cellulosic Powders with Immobilized AgO and CuO Nanoparticles: Preparation, Characterization of the Nanocomposites, and Application to the Catalytic Degradation of Azo Dyes.

Nanomaterials have attracted specific consideration due to their specific characteristics and uses in several promising fields. In the present study, Chondrilla juncea was employed as a biological extract to facilitate the reduction of copper and silver ions within garlic peel powders. The resulting garlic-CuO and garlic-AgO nanocomposites were characterized using several analytical methods including FTIR, TGA/DTG, SEM, TEM, and XRD analyses. The garlic peel exhibited a rough surface. The nanoparticles were evenly dispersed across its surface. The incorporation of CuO and AgO nanoparticles affected the crystal structure of garlic peel. The establishment of CuO and AgO nanoparticles was evidenced by the highest residual mass values observed for the prepared nanocomposites. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the prepared nanocomposites had lower thermal stability compared with garlic peel powders. The prepared nanocomposites were used for catalytic degradation of naphthol blue black B and calmagite. The decolorization process depended on the quantity of H2O2, initial concentration of azo dyes, duration of contact, and temperature of the bath. The calculated activation energy (Ea) values for the garlic-CuO nanocomposites were found to be 18.44 kJ mol-1 and 23.28 kJ mol-1 for calmagite and naphthol solutions, respectively. However, those calculated for garlic-AgO nanocomposites were found to be 50.01 kJ mol-1 and 12.44 kJ mol-1 for calmagite and naphthol, respectively.

Morinda citrifolia leaf assisted synthesis of ZnO decorated Ag bio-nanocomposites for in-vitro cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and anticancer applications.

This study used Morinda citrifolia leaf (MCL) extract to synthesise Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and ZnO decorated silver nanocomposites (ZnO/Ag NCs). The synthesized nanomaterials structural morphology and crystallinity were characterized using a Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs and ZnO/Ag NCs was evaluated using human nosocomial bacterial pathogens. The highest antimicrobial activity was recorded for ZnO/Ag NCs at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 80 and 100 µg/mL for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus than ZnO NPs at the MIC of 120 and 140 µg/mL for Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, ROS detection, viability assay and bacterial membrane integrity analysis of ZnO/Ag NCs treated P. aeruginosa and S. aureus revealed the fundamental bactericidal mechanism involving cell wall, cell membrane interaction and release of cytoplasmic contents. In addition, ZnO/Ag NCs and ZnO NPs showed higher toxicity towards A549 lung cancer cells than the non-cancerous RAW264 macrophage cells, with IC50 of 242 and 398 µg/mL respectively, compared to IC50 of 402 and 494 µg/mL for the macrophage cells. These results suggest that the ZnO/Ag NCs can be effectively used to develop antimicrobial and anticancer materials.

Morphine and Phoenix dactylifera (dates) effects on the histological features of male rat reproductive organs.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that morphine negatively effects male fertility while Phoenix dactylifera (dates) could cure male infertility by the exhibition of antagonist effects. This study was conducted to assess the possible ameliorating effects of dates on the histological features of morphine-induced male rat reproductive organs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats age 7-9 weeks old, 200-250 g body weight (BW) were divided into six rats per each group: Group 1, force-fed with distilled water, 1 ml/kg BW for 35 days (control); Group 2, intramuscularly (IM) injected with morphine, 20 mg/kg BW for 7 days followed by force-fed with distilled water for 28 days; Group 3, force-fed with distilled water for 7 days followed by crude P. dactylifera extract, 200 mg/kg for 28 days; Group 4, injected (IM) with morphine, 20 mg/kg BW for 7 days followed by force-fed of crude P. dactylifera extract, 200 mg/kg for 28 days. Rats were sacrificed on day 36. The seminal vesicle (SV) and prostate gland (PG) were removed and fixed before histological processes. RESULTS: In morphine-treated rats, the SV showed the absence of honeycomb-like appearance with flattened columnar cells while in the PG, eosinophilic secretion was noted to be absent from glandular lumina as compared to the control group. Administration of P. dactylifera extract in Group 4 showed improvement in histoarchitecture of the SV and PG with complex mucosal infoldings and glands luminal filled with secretion. CONCLUSION: P. dactylifera extract has a protective effect against the adverse effects of morphine on the male rat reproductive organs.

pH Sensitive Hydrogels in Drug Delivery: Brief History, Properties, Swelling, and Release Mechanism, Material Selection and Applications.

Improving the safety efficacy ratio of existing drugs is a current challenge to be addressed rather than the development of novel drugs which involve much expense and time. The efficacy of drugs is affected by a number of factors such as their low aqueous solubility, unequal absorption along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, risk of degradation in the acidic milieu of the stomach, low permeation of the drugs in the upper GI tract, systematic side effects, etc. This review aims to enlighten readers on the role of pH sensitive hydrogels in drug delivery, their mechanism of action, swelling, and drug release as a function of pH change along the GI tract. The basis for the selection of materials, their structural features, physical and chemical properties, the presence of ionic pendant groups, and the influence of their pKa and pKb values on the ionization, consequent swelling, and targeted drug release are also highlighted.

Erratum: pH Sensitive Hydrogels in Drug Delivery: Brief History, Properties, Swelling, and Release Mechanism, Material Selection and Applications. Polymers 2017, 9, 137.

The authors wish to make a change to their published paper [1]. [...].

2,2'-Diethoxy-4,4'-[(E,E)-hydrazine-diyl-idenebis(methanylylidene)]diphenol.

The complete molecule of the title compound, C(18)H(20)N(2)O(4), is generated by inversion symmetry. The conformation around the C=N bond is E. With the exception of the eth-oxy substituent, the mol-ecule is essentially planar with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.0455 Å. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds into a two-dimensional supra-molecular network parallel to the bc plane.

(E,E)-1,2-Bis[3-(prop-2-yn-1-yl-oxy)benzyl-idene]hydrazine.

The mol-ecule of the title compound, C(20)H(16)N(2)O(2), is centrosymmetric, the inversion center being located at the mid-point of the central azine bond. The conformation around the C=N bond is E. The whole mol-ecule (except for the H atoms) is essentially planar, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.07 Å. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked head-to-tail by pairs of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers, and resulting in the formation of chains propagating along [011].