Effect of Aucubin-Containing Eye Drops on Tear Hyposecretion and Lacrimal Gland Damage Induced by Urban Particulate Matter in Rats

Exposure to particulate matter is a causative factor of dry eye disease. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of eye drops containing aucubin on dry eye disease induced by urban particulate matter (UPM). Dry eye was induced in male SD rats (6 weeks old) by topical exposure to UPM thrice a day for 5 d. Eye drops containing 0.1% aucubin or 0.5% aucubin were topically administered directly into the eye after UPM exposure for an additional 5 d. Tear secretion was evaluated using a phenol red thread tear test and corneal irregularity. The oxidative damage in the lacrimal gland was evaluated using TUNEL and immunohistochemical staining. The topical administration of aucubin significantly attenuated UPM-induced tear hyposecretion (control group: 9.25 ± 0.62 mm, UPM group: 4.55 ± 0.25 mm, 0.1% aucubin: 7.12 ± 0.58 mm, and 0.5% aucubin: 7.88 ± 0.75 mm) and corneal irregularity (control group: 0.00 ± 0.00, UPM group: 3.40 ± 0.29, 0.1% aucubin: 1.80 ± 0.27, and 0.5% aucubin: 1.15 ± 0.27). In addition, aucubin also reduced the UPM-induced apoptotic injury of lacrimal gland cells induced by oxidative stress through the increased expression of HMGB1 and RAGE. These findings indicate that the topical administration of aucubin eye drops showed a beneficial effect against UPM-induced abnormal ocular changes, such as tear hyposecretion and lacrimal gland damage. Therefore, our results reveal the pharmacological activities of aucubin in dry eye disease.     

Grape Canes from Typical Cultivars of Campania (Southern Italy) as a Source of High-Value Bioactive Compounds: Phenolic Profile,Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities

The purpose of the current study was to determine the phenolic composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities in grape cane extracts from typical cultivars of Southern Italy. Aqueous extracts at different pHs (1–13) were prepared from “Aglianico”, “Fiano”, and “Greco” grape canes. The results demonstrated that an alkaline pH (13.00) produced the best polyphenol-rich extracts, as the total phenolic content was more than double when compared to the respective extracts prepared at pH 1.00. “Greco” grape canes gave the highest quantity of phenolic compounds at each pH, ranging from 42.7 ± 0.4 to 104.3 ± 3.0 mg Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE)/g Dry Extract (DE) from pH 1.00 to 13.00. The Radical Scavenging Activity (RSA) and the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) were measured. The highest antioxidant activity was showed by “Greco” extract at pH 7.00. Seventy-five compounds were identified in the extracts by HPLC-MS with six of them described for the first time in grape canes. Procyanidins were highly abundant in extracts at pH 7.00, whereas stilbenoids were the most represented compounds at pH 13.00. Very strong antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses was recorded for the extracts at pH 7.00 and 13.00 that were active in the early stages of infection by acting directly against the viral particles. The overall results suggest that grape canes, currently underutilized, can be usefully valorised by providing active extracts to use as antioxidant and antiviral agents.     

Natural Zeolite for The Purification of Saline Groundwater and Irrigation Potential Analysis

Groundwater is one of the main sources of water for irrigation used worldwide. However, the application of the resource is threatened by the possibility of high saline levels, especially in low-lying coastal regions. Furthermore, the lack of readily accessible materials for successful treatment procedures makes the purification of such water a constant challenge. Based on the fact that natural zeolite is one of the easily accessible and relatively cheap filter materials, this study examined the potential use of high-salinity groundwater filtered by natural zeolite for irrigation. Zeolite-filled filters at two different depths (0.5 m and 1 m) were studied. The samples were collected from the low-lying areas of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. The study observed that when the raw groundwater samples were exposed to the 0.5 m column depth, sodium (Na⁺) had the lowest removal efficiency at 40.2% and calcium (Ca²⁺) had the highest removal efficiency at 98.9%. On the other hand, magnesium (Mg²⁺) had the lowest removal efficiency, at about 61.2%, whereas potassium (K⁺) had up to about 99.7% removal efficiency from the 1 m column depth treatment system. Additionally, from the salinity hazard potential analysis, most of the samples fell within C4 (based on the electrical conductivity), which is a “very high salinity” class, and based on the quality it means the water cannot be directly applied for irrigation purposes. From the 0.5 m column depth, most of the samples fell within C3 (the “high salinity” class), and from the 1 m column depth most of the samples fell within C1 (“low salinity” class). The findings of this study offer some valuable insight into the prospective use of natural zeolite for the filtration of saline groundwater before its application for irrigation.     

Perspectives of Positively Charged Nanocrystals of Tedizolid Phosphate as a Topical Ocular Application in Rabbits

The aim of this study was the successful utilization of the positively charged nanocrystals (NCs) of Tedizolid Phosphate (TZP) (0.1% w/v) for topical ocular applications. TZP belongs to the 1, 3-oxazolidine-2-one class of antibiotics and has therapeutic potential for the treatment of many drug-resistant bacterial infections, including eye infections caused by MRSA, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. However, its therapeutic usage is restricted due to its poor aqueous solubility and limited ocular availability. It is a prodrug and gets converted to Tedizolid (TDZ) by phosphatases in vivo. The sterilized NC₁ was subjected to antimicrobial testing on Gram-positive bacteria. Ocular irritation and pharmacokinetics were performed in rabbits. Around a 1.29 to 1.53-fold increase in antibacterial activity was noted for NC₁ against the B. subtilis, S. pneumonia, S. aureus and MRSA (SA-6538) as compared to the TZP-pure. The NC₁-AqS was “practically non-irritating” to rabbit eyes. There was around a 1.67- and 1.43 fold increase in t_1/2 (h) and C_max (ngmL⁻¹) while there were 1.96-, 1.91-, 2.69- and 1.41-times increases in AUC_0–24h,AUC_0–∞,AUMC_0–∞ and MRT_0–∞, respectively, which were found by NC₁ as compared to TZP-AqS in the ocular pharmacokinetic study. The clearance of TDZ was faster (11.43 mLh⁻¹) from TZP-AqS as compared to NC₁ (5.88 mLh⁻¹). Relatively, an extended half-life (t_1/2; 4.45 h) of TDZ and the prolonged ocular retention (MRT_0–∞; 7.13 h) of NC₁ was found, while a shorter half-life (t_1/2; 2.66 h) of TDZ and MRT_0–∞(t_1/2; 5.05 h)was noted for TZP-AqS, respectively. Cationic TZP-NC₁ could offer increased transcorneal permeation, which could mimic the improved ocular bioavailability of the drug in vivo. Conclusively, NC₁ of TZP was identified as a promising substitute for the ocular delivery of TZP, with better performance as compared to its conventional AqS.     

Comprehensive Evaluation of Late Season Peach Varieties (Prunus persica L.): Fruit Nutritional Quality and Phytochemicals

Peaches are one of the most preferred seasonal fruits, and a reliable source of nutrients. They possess biologically active substances that largely differ among varieties. Hence, revealing the potential of several late season peaches is of present interest. Three commonly consumed varieties (“Flat Queen”; “Evmolpiya”; “Morsiani 90”) were studied in terms of nutritive and phytochemical content, as well as antioxidant activity with the use of reliable spectrophotometric and High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) methods. An analysis of the soil was also made. The phytochemical data were subjected to principal component analysis in order to evaluate their relationship. The “Morsiani 90” variety had the highest minerals concentration (2349.03 mg/kg fw), total carbohydrates (16.21 g/100 g fw), and α-tocopherol (395.75 µg/100 g fresh weight (fw)). Similar amounts of TDF (approx. 3 g/100 g fw) were reported for all three varieties. “Flat Queen’s” peel extract was the richest in monomeric anthocyanins (2279.33 µg cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3GE)/100 g fw). The “Morsiani 90” variety extracts had the highest antioxidant potential, defined by 2,2-diphenil-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and cupric ion-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays.     

Carbon Quantum Dots from Pomelo Peel as Fluorescence Probes for “Turn-Off–On” High-Sensitivity Detection of Fe3+ and L-Cysteine

This study designed a “turn-off–on” fluorescence analysis method based on carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to detect metal ions and amino acids in real sample systems. CQDs were derived from green pomelo peel via a one-step hydrothermal process. The co-doped CQDs with N and S atoms imparted excellent optical properties (quantum yield = 17.31%). The prepared CQDs could be used as fluorescent “turn-off” probes to detect Fe³⁺ with a limit of detection of 0.086 µM, a linear detection range of 0.1–160 µM, and recovery of 83.47–106.53% in water samples. The quenched CQD fluorescence could be turned on after adding L-cysteine (L-Cys), which allowed detection of L-Cys with a detection limit of 0.34 µM and linear range of 0.4–85 µM. Recovery of L-Cys in amino acid beverage was 87.08–122.74%. Visual paper-based testing strips and cellulose/CQDs composite hydrogels could be also used to detect Fe³⁺ and L-Cys.     

Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes with “Green” Detergents

Solubilization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a fundamental technique for the use of CNTs and their conjugates as nanodevices and nanobiodevices. In this work, we demonstrate the preparation of CNT suspensions with “green” detergents made from coconuts and bamboo as fundamental research in CNT nanotechnology. Single-walled CNTs (SWNTs) with a few carboxylic acid groups (3–5%) and pristine multi-walled CNTs (MWNTs) were mixed in each detergent solution and sonicated with a bath-type sonicator. The prepared suspensions were characterized using absorbance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Among the eight combinations of CNTs and detergents (two types of CNTs and four detergents, including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the standard), SWNTs/MWNTs were well dispersed in all combinations except the combination of the MWNTs and the bamboo detergent. The stability of the suspensions prepared with coconut detergents was better than that prepared with SDS. Because the efficiency of the bamboo detergents against the MWNTs differed significantly from that against the SWNTs, the natural detergent might be useful for separating CNTs. Our results revealed that the use of the “green” detergents had the advantage of dispersing CNTs as well as SDS.     

Identification of Bioactive Compounds of Asparagus officinalis L.: Permutation Test Allows Differentiation among “Triguero” and Hybrid Green Varieties

In this study, we determined the phytochemical profile of the Spanish “triguero” asparagus landrace “verde-morado” (Asparagus officinalis L.), a wild traditional landrace, and the improved “triguero” HT-801, together with two commercial green asparagus varieties. For comparison, we used reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC-DAD-ESI-TOF/MS) followed by a permutation test applied using a resampling methodology valid under a relaxed set of assumptions, such as i.i.d. errors (not necessarily normal) that are exchangeable under the null hypothesis. As a result, we postulate that “triguero” varieties (the improved HT-801 followed by its parent “verde-morado”) have a significantly different phytochemical profile from that of the other two commercial hybrid green varieties. In particular, we found compounds specific to the “triguero” varieties, such as feruloylhexosylhexose isomers, or isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, which was found only in the “triguero” variety HT-801. Although studies relating the phytochemical content of “triguero” asparagus varieties to its health-promoting effects are required, this characteristic phytochemical profile can be used for differentiating and revalorizating these asparagus cultivars.     

Thuja occidentalis L. (Cupressaceae): Ethnobotany,Phytochemistry and Biological Activity

Thuja occidentalis L. (Cupressaceae) has its origins in Eastern North America and is cultivated in Europe and Brazil as an ornamental tree, being known as the “tree of life” or “white cedar”. In traditional medicine, it is commonly used to treat liver diseases, bullous bronchitis, psoriasis, enuresis, amenorrhea, cystitis, uterine carcinomas, diarrhea, and rheumatism. The chemical constituents of T. occidentalis have been of research interest for decades, due to their contents of essential oil, coumarins, flavonoids, tannins, and proanthocyanidines. Pharmacology includes antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antiviral, protective activity of the gastrointestinal tract, radioprotection, antipyretic, and lipid metabolism regulatory activity. Therefore, the present review represents the synthesis of all the relevant information for T. occidentalis, its ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and a thorough analysis of their pharmacological activities, in order to promote all the biological activities shown so far, rather than the antitumor activity that has promoted it as a medicinal species.     

Antitumor Effect of Guatteria olivacea R. E. Fr. (Annonaceae) Leaf Essential Oil in Liver Cancer

Guatteria olivacea R. E. Fries (synonym Guatteria punctata (Aubl.) R.A. Howard) is a tree of 10–27 m tall popularly known as “envira-bobó”, “envira-fofa”, “envireira”, “embira”, “embira-branca”, “embira-preta”, envira-branca”, and “envira-preta”, which can be found in the Brazilian Amazon biome. In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic and antitumor effects of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the leaves of G. olivacea against liver cancer using HepG2 cells as a model. EO was obtained using a hydrodistillation Clevenger-type apparatus and was qualitatively and quantitatively characterized using GC–MS and GC–FID, respectively. The alamar blue assay was used to assess the cytotoxic potential of EO in a panel of human cancer cell lines and human non-cancerous cells. In HepG2 cells treated with EO, YO-PRO-1/propidium iodide staining, cell cycle distribution, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were examined. In C.B-17 SCID mice with HepG2 cell xenografts, the efficacy of the EO (20 and 40 mg/kg) was tested in vivo. GC–MS and GC–FID analyses showed germacrene D (17.65%), 1-epi-cubenol (13.21%), caryophyllene oxide (12.03%), spathulenol (11.26%), (E)-caryophyllene (7.26%), bicyclogermacrene (5.87%), and δ-elemene (4.95%) as the major constituents of G. olivacea leaf EO. In vitro cytotoxicity of EO was observed, including anti-liver cancer action with an IC₅₀ value of 30.82 μg/mL for HepG2 cells. In HepG2 cells, EO treatment increased apoptotic cells and DNA fragmentation, without changes in ROS levels. Furthermore, the EO inhibited tumor mass in vivo by 32.8–57.9%. These findings suggest that G. olivacea leaf EO has anti-liver cancer potential.     

Metabolomics Analyses of Cotyledon and Plumule Showing the Potential Domestic Selection in Lotus Breeding

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) seeds are widely consumed as functional food or herbal medicine, of which cotyledon (CL) is the main edible part, and lotus plumule (LP) is commonly utilized in traditional Chinese medicine. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the chemical components of CL and LP in dry lotus seeds, not to mention the comparison between wild and domesticated varieties. In this study, a widely targeted metabolomics approach based on Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-electrospray ionization-Tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) was utilized to analyze the metabolites in CL and LP of China Antique (“CA”, a wild variety) and Jianxuan-17 (“JX”, a popular cultivar). A total of 402 metabolites were identified, which included flavonoids (23.08% to 27.84%), amino acids and derivatives (14.18–16.57%), phenolic acids (11.49–12.63%), and lipids (9.14–10.95%). These metabolites were classified into ten clusters based on their organ or cultivar-specific characters. Most of these metabolites were more abundant in LP than in CL for both varieties, except for metabolites belonging to organic acids and lipids. The analysis of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) demonstrated that more than 25% of metabolites detected in our study were DAMs in CL and LP comparing “JX” with “CA”, most of which were less abundant in “JX”, including 35 flavonoids in LP, 23 amino acids and derivatives in CL, 7 alkaloids in CL, and 10 nucleotides and derivatives in LP, whereas all of 11 differentially accumulated lipids in LP were more abundant in “JX”. Together with the fact that the seed yield of “JX” is much higher than that of “CA”, these results indicated that abundant metabolites, especially the functional secondary metabolites (mainly flavonoids and alkaloids), were lost during the process of breeding selection.     

GC-MS Metabolic Profile and α-Glucosidase-, α-Amylase-, Lipase-, and Acetylcholinesterase-Inhibitory Activities of Eight Peach Varieties

The inhibition of certain digestive enzymes by target food matrices represents a new approach in the treatment of socially significant diseases. Proving the ability of fruits to inhibit such enzymes can support the inclusion of specific varieties in the daily diets of patients with diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, etc., providing them with much more than just valuable micro- and macromolecules. The current study aimed atidentifying and comparing the GC-MS metabolic profiles of eight peach varieties (“Filina”, “Ufo 4, “Gergana”, “Laskava”, “July Lady”, “Flat Queen”, “Evmolpiya”, and “Morsiani 90”) grown in Bulgaria (local and introduced) and to evaluate the inhibitory potential of their extracts towards α-glucosidase, α-amylase, lipase, and acetylcholinesterase. In order to confirm samples’ differences or similarities, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were also applied to the identified metabolites. The results provide important insights into the metabolomic profiles of the eight peach varieties and represent a first attempt to characterize the peels of the peach varieties with respect to α-glucosidase-, α-amylase-, lipase-, and acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory activities. All of the studied peach extracts displayed inhibitory activity towards α-glucosidase (IC₅₀: 125–757 mg/mL) and acetylcholinesterase (IC₅₀: 60–739 mg/mL), but none of them affected α-amylase activity. Five of the eight varieties showed inhibitory activity towards porcine pancreatic lipase (IC₅₀: 24–167 mg/mL). The obtained results validate the usefulness of peaches and nectarines as valuable sources of natural agents beneficial for human health, although further detailed investigation should be performed in order to thoroughly identify the enzyme inhibitors responsible for each activity.     

Physico-Chemical and Phytochemical Characterization of Moroccan Wild Jujube “Zizyphus lotus (L.)” Fruit Crude Extract and Fractions

Wild jujube “Ziziphus lotus (L.) Desf.” belongs to the Rhamnaceae family and is a traditionally herbaceous medicinal plant. It is very common in arid and semi-arid regions and is currently used for its antidiabetic, sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities. The aim of the present work was to characterize the physico-chemical properties and the phytochemical profile of wild jujube sample collected from the Guercif region, in order to determine the polyphenolic compounds and the antioxidant ability Analyses were carried out directly after the harvest for the determination of pH, refractive index, total soluble solid (°Brix), dry matter, sugar/acidity, total sugars, reducing sugars, as well as lipid and protein content. Results showed that the investigated fruit is acidic (pH 4.9 ± 0.23) and rich in sugars (80.2 g/100 g ± 3.81). The GC-MS analysis of the fruit revealed a number of volatile compounds, as many as 97, belonging to different chemical classes. The HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis showed the presence of a total of 20 polyphenolic compounds in both EtOAc and MeOH-water extracts. Among them, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid was the most abundant in the EtOAc extract (185.68 µg/100 mg ± 0.5) whereas Quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-glucoside was found in higher amounts in the MeOH-water extract (25.40 µg/100 mg ± 0.5). These components have medical interest, notably for human nutrition, as well as health benefits and therapeutic effects. Therefore, Moroccan jujube “Zizyphus lotus (L.)” fruit may have potential industrial applications for food formulations.     

Superoxide Dismutase Administration: A Review of Proposed Human Uses

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are metalloenzymes that play a major role in antioxidant defense against oxidative stress in the body. SOD supplementation may therefore trigger the endogenous antioxidant machinery for the neutralization of free-radical excess and be used in a variety of pathological settings. This paper aimed to provide an extensive review of the possible uses of SODs in a range of pathological settings, as well as describe the current pitfalls and the delivery strategies that are in development to solve bioavailability issues. We carried out a PubMed query, using the keywords “SOD”, “SOD mimetics”, “SOD supplementation”, which included papers published in the English language, between 2012 and 2020, on the potential therapeutic applications of SODs, including detoxification strategies. As highlighted in this paper, it can be argued that the generic antioxidant effects of SODs are beneficial under all tested conditions, from ocular and cardiovascular diseases to neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic diseases, including diabetes and its complications and obesity. However, it must be underlined that clinical evidence for its efficacy is limited and consequently, this efficacy is currently far from being demonstrated.     

Dried and Fermented Powders of Edible Algae (Neopyropia yezoensis) Attenuate Hepatic Steatosis in Obese Mice

Edible algae Neopyropia yezoensis is used as “Nori”, its dried sheet product, in Japanese cuisine. Its lipid components reportedly improve hepatic steatosis in obese db/db mice. In this study, we prepared “Nori powder (NP)” and “fermented Nori powder (FNP)” to utilize the functional lipids contained in “Nori” and examined their nutraceutical effects in vivo. Male db/db mice were fed a basal AIN-76 diet, a 10% NP-supplemented diet, or a 10% FNP-supplemented diet for 4 weeks. We detected eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) present in both NP and FNP in the serum and liver of db/db mice in a dose-dependent manner. The NP diet reduced hepatic triglyceride accumulation (by 58%) in db/db mice by modulating gene expression, which resulted in the inhibition of lipogenic enzyme activity. Additionally, NP intake significantly suppressed the expression of inflammatory genes in the liver and hepatic injury marker levels in the sera (by 26%) of db/db mice. The FNP diet also led to a marked reduction in hepatic triglyceride accumulation (by 50%) and hepatic injury (by 28%) in db/db mice, and the mechanism of these alleviative actions was similar to that of the NP diet. Although the EPA content of FNP was one-third that of NP, metabolomic analysis revealed that bioactive betaine analogs, such as stachydrine, betaine, and carnitine, were detected only in FNP. In conclusion, we suggest that (1) mechanical processing of “Nori” makes its lipid components readily absorbable by the body to exert their lipid-lowering effects, and (2) fermentation of “Nori” produces anti-inflammatory molecules and lipid-lowering molecules, which together with the lipid components, can exert hepatic steatosis-alleviating effects.     

Ultrasound-Assisted Water Extraction of Gentiopicroside,Isogentisin, and Polyphenols from Willow Gentian “Dust” Supported by Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin as Cage Molecules

The residue after sieving (“dust”) from the willow gentian underground parts is an unexploited herbal tea by-product, although it contains valuable bioactive compounds. Cyclodextrins as efficient green co-solvents, cage molecules, and multifunctional excipients could improve the extraction and contribute to the added value of the resulting extracts. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal conditions for the extraction of gentiopicroside, isogentisin, and total phenolics (TPC) from willow gentian “dust” using ultrasound-assisted water extraction coupled with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD). The influence of extraction temperature (X₁: 20–80 °C), time (X₂: 20–50 min), and HPβCD concentration (X₃: 2–4% w/v) was analyzed employing the response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal extraction conditions for simultaneously maximizing the extraction yield of all monitored responses were X₁: 74.89 °C, X₂: 32.57 min, and X₃: 3.01% w/v. The experimentally obtained response values under these conditions (46.96 mg/g DW for gentiopicroside, 0.51 mg/g DW for isogentisin, and 12.99 mg GAE/g DW for TPC) were in close agreement with those predicted, thus confirming the suitability and good predictive accuracy of the developed RSM models. Overall, the developed extraction system could be an applicable alternative strategy to improve the extraction of bioactive compounds from the underutilized “dust” of willow gentian underground parts.     

The Antiviral Effects of Jasminin via Endogenous TNF-α and the Underlying TNF-α-Inducing Action

Previous studies have reported that recombinant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α has powerful antiviral activity but severe systematic side effects. Jasminin is a common bioactive component found in Chinese herbal medicine beverage “Jasmine Tea”. Here, we report that jasminin-induced endogenous TNF-α showed antiviral activity in vitro. The underlying TNF-α-inducing action of jasminin was also investigated in RAW264.7 cells. The level of endogenous TNF-α stimulated by jasminin was first analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from the cell culture supernatant of RAW264.7 cells. The supernatants were then collected to investigate the potential antiviral effect against herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). The antiviral effects of jasminin alone or its supernatants were evaluated by a plaque reduction assay. The potential activation of the PI3K–Akt pathway, three main mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and nuclear factor (NF)–κB signaling pathways that induce TNF-α production were also investigated. Jasminin induces TNF-α protein expression in RAW264.7 cells without additional stimuli 10-fold more than the control. No significant up-expression of type I, II, and III interferons; interleukins 2 and 10; nor TNF-β were observed by the jasminin stimuli. The supernatants, containing jasminin-induced-TNF-α, showed antiviral activity against HSV-1. The jasminin-stimulated cells caused the simultaneous activation of the Akt, MAPKs, and NF–κB signal pathways. Furthermore, the pretreatment of the cells with the Akt, MAPKs, and NF–κB inhibitors effectively suppressed jasminin-induced TNF-α production. Our research provides evidence that endogenous TNF-α can be used as a strategy to encounter viral infections. Additionally, the Akt, MAPKs, and NF–κB signaling pathways are involved in the TNF-α synthesis that induced by jasminin.     

Secondary Metabolites of the Genus Amycolatopsis: Structures,Bioactivities and Biosynthesis

Actinomycetes are regarded as important sources for the generation of various bioactive secondary metabolites with rich chemical and bioactive diversities. Amycolatopsis falls under the rare actinomycete genus with the potential to produce antibiotics. In this review, all literatures were searched in the Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed up to March 2021. The keywords used in the search strategy were “Amycolatopsis”, “secondary metabolite”, “new or novel compound”, “bioactivity”, “biosynthetic pathway” and “derivatives”. The objective in this review is to summarize the chemical structures and biological activities of secondary metabolites from the genus Amycolatopsis. A total of 159 compounds derived from 8 known and 18 unidentified species are summarized in this paper. These secondary metabolites are mainly categorized into polyphenols, linear polyketides, macrolides, macrolactams, thiazolyl peptides, cyclic peptides, glycopeptides, amide and amino derivatives, glycoside derivatives, enediyne derivatives and sesquiterpenes. Meanwhile, they mainly showed unique antimicrobial, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, and enzyme inhibition activities. In addition, the biosynthetic pathways of several potent bioactive compounds and derivatives are included and the prospect of the chemical substances obtained from Amycolatopsis is also discussed to provide ideas for their implementation in the field of therapeutics and drug discovery.     

Biological Properties of Latex,Aqueous Extracts and Bee Products of Euphorbia officinarum L.: A Short Review

Euphorbia officinarum L. is a Moroccan endemic plant known as “Tikiout” and “Daghmus” that can also be found in Mauritania, Western Sahara, and Algeria. In the present review, “Euphorbia officinarum”, “metabolites” “hemisynthesis” were the keywords used for the research in the Web search engine Google Scholar and in the database Web of Science. Triterpenes, phytosterols and ingol diterpenes were isolated and identified in the latex of Moroccan E. officinarum. More than sixty triterpenes were obtained by hemisynthesis from natural triterpenes. Some of these derivatives had insecticidal and antimicrobial activity (phytopathogenic bacteria). The total phenol content and the antioxidant and anti-α-glucosidase activities were dependent on the time and temperature of extractions and also on the plant solvent ratio. The antioxidant activity of monofloral honey of E. officinarum origin was attributed to the phenol fraction (this fraction, previously isolated from honey samples, had better activity than the entire honey).