Phytochemical Characterization,Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cleome arabica L. Fruits Extract against Formalin Induced Chronic Inflammation in Female Wistar Rat: Biochemical,Histological, and In Silico Studies

In recent decades, the use of herbs and plants has been of great interest, as they have been the sources of natural products, commonly named as bioactive compounds. In specific, the natural compounds from the Capparaceae family which has been proved to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic activities, by several studies. Cleome arabica L. (CA) specie is the most used medicinal plants in Tunisia and elsewhere in North African countries for treatment of various diseases including diabetes, rheumatism, inflammation, cancer, and digestive disorders. The current work was undertaken to estimate the total phenolic, flavonoid and condensed tannin contents, to identify and quantify the polyphenolic compounds, and to evaluate the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory proprieties of CA fruits extract against formalin induced chronic inflammation in Female Wistar rats. In fact, the antioxidant activity was tested by Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging (DPPH), Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Nitric Oxide radical (NO·). Anti-inflammatory effect of fruits extract was examined using formalin (2%) induced paw edema in rats. Molecular docking tools were used to investigate the interaction of some compounds from CA fruits extract with the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) target protein. Our results showed that, the total phenolic, flavonoid and tannins contents, which were assessed by the Folin-Ciocalteu, Quercetin, and Catechin methods, respectively, were 230.22 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight (mg GAE/g DW), 55.08 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry weight (QE/g DW) and 15.17 mg catechin equivalents/g dry weight (CatE/g DW), respectively. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of five polyphenolic compounds whose catechin was found to be the most abundant compounds. The antioxidant activity of extract was quantified by DPPH, FRAP and NO· tests and IC₅₀ reached the values of 3.346 mg/mL, 2.306 and 0.023 mg/mL, respectively. Cleome fruits ameliorated the histological integrity of the skin and alleviated the disruptions in hematological parameters (WBC, LYM, RBC, and HGB), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), C-reactive protein, and some oxidative stress markers (TBARS (−49%) and AOPP (−42%) levels, SOD (+33%) and GPx (+75%) activities, and GSH (+49%) content) induced by formalin injection. Moreover, the in-silico investigation had shown that CA fruits extract compounds have a stronger interaction with COX-2 active site, more than the reference drug “indomethacin” (two H-bonds). Our research gives pharmacological backing to the healthcare utilization of Cleome plant in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and oxidative harm.     

A new method for the isolation and estimation of Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid in human urine

Summary A new, concise and efficient method of isolation and estimation of F. D. A. avoiding heating with acids, has been devised.Inositol and calcium gluconate when added to urine and subjected to the old method of isolation of F. D. A. result in no increase in the amount of F. D. A. This indicates that the increase in the output of this acid obtained before⁴ was a process within the body itself.Metabolic experiments with inositol and calcium gluconate adopting the new method gave a 3–4 fold increase in the F. D. A. output confirming that this increase is anin vivo process.

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Zusammenfassung Eine neue, genaue Methode zur Isolierung und Bestimmung von Furandicarbonsäure (F. D. C.) ohne Erhitzen des angesäuerten Untersuchungs-materials wurde ausgearbeitet. Werden Inosit und Calciumgluconat dem Harn vor Aufarbeitung nach der alten Methode zugesetzt, so führt dies zu keiner Erhöhung der F. D. C.-Menge. Die früher beobachtete Vermehrung der F. D. C.-Menge ist also die Folge von Vorgängen innerhalb des Organismus. Stoffwechselexperimente mit Inosit und Calciumgluconat mit der neuen Methode zeigen eine drei bis vierfach gesteigerte F. D. C.-Ausscheidung und bestätigen damit deren vermehrte Bildung in vivo.

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Résumé On a imaginé une nouvelle méthode rapide et efficace pour isoler et doser le F. D. A. en évitant le chauffage avec les acides. L'inositol et le gluconate de calcium, ajoutés à l'urine et soumis à la vieille méthode d'isolement du F. D. A. ne produisent pas de surcharge sur la quantité de F. D. A. Ce fait indique que l'augmentation du rendement de cet acide, obtenue auparavant, était un processus dans le corps humain lui-même.Des expériences sur le métabolisme avec l'inositol et le gluconate de calcium, en adoptant la nouvelle méthode, ont donné une augmentation de trois à quatre fois le rendement en F. D. A., ce qui confirme que cette augmentation se produitin vivo.

     

Milk-Compositional Study of Metabolites and Pathogens in the Milk of Bovine Animals Affected with Subclinical Mastitis

Bovine milk is an important food component in the human diet due to its nutrient-rich metabolites. However, bovine subclinical mastitis alters the composition and quality of milk. In present study, California mastitis testing, somatic cell count, pH, and electrical conductivity were used as confirmatory tests to detect subclinical mastitis. The primary goal was to study metabolome and identify major pathogens in cows with subclinical mastitis. In this study, 29 metabolites were detected in milk using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Volatile acidic compounds, such as hexanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, lauric acid, octanoic acid, n-decanoic acid, tricosanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, and hypogeic acid were found in milk samples, and these impart good flavor to the milk. Metaboanalyst tool was used for metabolic pathway analysis and principal component estimation. In this study, EC and pH values in milk were significantly increased (p < 0.0001), whereas fat (p < 0.04) and protein (p < 0.0002) significantly decreased in animals with subclinical mastitis in comparison to healthy animals. Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant pathogen found (n = 54), followed by Escherichia coli (n = 30). Furthermore, antibiotic sensitivity revealed that Staphylococcus aureus was more sensitive to gentamicin (79.6%), whereas Escherichia coli showed more sensitivity to doxycycline hydrochloride (80%).     

Anti-Quorum Sensing and Anti-Biofilm Activity of Pelargonium × hortorum Root Extract against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Combinatorial Effect of Catechin and Gallic Acid

HPLC-UV was used to compare the major constituents of two Pelargonium × hortorum cultivars and Pelargonium sidoides root extract. It revealed the presence of catechin and gallic acid in high concentrations and the absence of umckalin in P. × hortorum root extracts. The antibacterial activity of these extracts was screened against 19 Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. P. × hortorum root extracts showed the lowest MIC values (512–1024 µg/mL). This activity was concluded to be attributable to the high concentrations of catechin and gallic acid. The anti-biofilm activity of catechin, gallic acid, and their combination was examined by a crystal violet assay. The combination reduced the percentage of strong and moderate biofilm-forming isolates from 52.63% to 5.26%. The impact on lasI and lasR genes expression using qRT-PCR and simultaneous docking against LasR protein was explored. The combination downregulated lasI and lasR gene expression in eight and six P. aeruginosa isolates, respectively, and showed the greatest docking score. Additionally, the in vivo protection capability of this combination in infected mice showed enhancement in the survival rate. Our study revealed the potential biofilm and quorum-sensing-inhibitory activity of the catechin and gallic acid combination as a novel alternative to inhibit bacterial pathogenicity.     

Effect of ZnO Nanofiller on Structural and Electrochemical Performance Improvement of Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol–Cellulose Acetate–Potassium Carbonate Composites

In this study, a solution casting method was used to prepare solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) based on a polymer blend comprising polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cellulose acetate (CA), and potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) as a conducting salt, and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as a nanofiller. The prepared electrolytes were physicochemically and electrochemically characterized, and their semi-crystalline nature was established using XRD and FESEM. The addition of ZnO to the polymer–salt combination resulted in a substantial increase in ionic conductivity, which was investigated using impedance analysis. The size of the semicircles in the Cole–Cole plots shrank as the amount of nanofiller increased, showing a decrease in bulk resistance that might be ascribed to an increase in ions due to the strong action of the ZnO-NPs. The sample with 10 wt % ZnO-NPs was found to produce the highest ionic conductivity, potential window, and lowest activation energy (E_a) of 3.70 × 10^–3 Scm^–1, 3.24 V, and 6.08 × 10^–4 eV, respectively. The temperature–frequency dependence of conductivity was found to approximately follow the Arrhenius model, which established that the electrolytes in this study are thermally activated. Hence, it can be concluded that, based on the improved conductivity observed, SPEs based on a PVA-CA-K₂CO₃/ZnO-NPs composite could be applicable in all-solid-state energy storage devices.     

Herbal Arsenal against Skin Ailments: A Review Supported by In Silico Molecular Docking Studies

Maintaining healthy skin is important for a healthy body. At present, skin diseases are numerous, representing a major health problem affecting all ages from neonates to the elderly worldwide. Many people may develop diseases that affect the skin, including cancer, herpes, and cellulitis. Long-term conventional treatment creates complicated disorders in vital organs of the body. It also imposes socioeconomic burdens on patients. Natural treatment is cheap and claimed to be safe. The use of plants is as old as mankind. Many medicinal plants and their parts are frequently used to treat these diseases, and they are also suitable raw materials for the production of new synthetic agents. A review of some plant families, viz., Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, etc., used in the treatment of skin diseases is provided with their most common compounds and in silico studies that summarize the recent data that have been collected in this area.     

Use of pi-acceptors for spectrophotometric determination of dicyclomine hydrochloride

Simple, rapid, accurate, and sensitive spectrophotometric methods are described for the determination of dicyclomine hydrochloride. The methods are based on the reaction of this drug as an n-electron donor with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoqunione (DDQ), p-chloranilic acid (p-CA), and chloranil (CL) as pi-acceptors to give highly colored complex species. The colored products are measured spectrophotometrically at 456, 530, and 650 nm for DDQ, p-CA, and CL, respectively. Optimization of the different experimental conditions were studied. Beer's law was obeyed in concentration ranges of 20-100, 50-250, and 80-600 microg/mL for DDQ, pCA, and CL, respectively. Colored complexes are produced in organic solvents and are stable for at least 1 h. The methods were applied to Spasmorest antispasmotic tablets and ampoules with good accuracy and precision.     

Synthesis and reactivity of thiophene palladium and thiophene dipalladium complexes with unsaturated molecules

Reactions of 2,5‐dibromothiophene, 1 , with [Pd₂(dba)₃]^?dba [Pd(dba)₂; dba = dibenzylideneacetone] in the presence of N‐donor ligands such as 2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy) and 4,4′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine (dtbbpy) give arylpalladium complexes of cis‐[2‐(5‐BrC₄H₂S)PdBrL₂], 2a, b [L₂ = bpy ( 2a ), L₂ = dtbbpy ( 2b )], and cis‐cis‐L₂PdBr[2,5‐(C₄H₂S‐)PdBr(L₂)], 3a, b [L₂ = bpy ( 3a ), L₂ = dtbbpy ( 3b )]. Treatment of cis complexes 2a, b and 3a, b with CO causes the insertion of CO into the Pd? C bond to give the aroyl derivatives of palladium complexes of cis‐[2‐(5‐BrC₄H₂S)COPdBrL₂], 4a, b [L₂ = bpy ( 4a ), L₂ = dtbbpy ( 4b )], and cis‐cis‐[(L₂)(CO)BrPdC₄H₂S‐PdBr(CO)(L₂)], 5a, b [L₂ = bpy ( 5a ) and L₂ = dtbbpy ( 5b )], respectively. Treating complexes 2a, b with 1 mole equivalent of isocyanide XyNC (Xy = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl) gave iminoacyl complexes cis‐[2‐(5‐BrC₄H₂S)C?NXyPdBrL₂], 6a, b [L₂ = bpy ( 6a ), L₂ = dtbbpy ( 6b )], and a 3‐fold excess of isocyanide XyNC (Xy = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl) gave triiminoacyl complexes [2‐(5‐BrC₄H₂S)(C?NXy)₃ PdBr], 7 . Cyclization reactions of 6a, b with 3 mole equivalents of isocyanide XyNC (Xy = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl) or cyclization reaction of 7 with 1 mole equivalent of isocyanide XyNC (Xy = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl) both gave tetraiminoacyl complexes of [2‐(5‐BrC₄H₂S)(C?NXy)₄PdBr], 8 , which was also obtained by the reaction of 1 or 2a, b with a 4‐fold excess of isocyanide XyNC with or without add Pd(dba)₂. Similarly, complexes 3a and b were also reacted with 2 mole equivalents of isocyanide XyNC (Xy = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl) to give iminoacyl complexes cis‐cis‐[(L₂)(CNXy)BrPdC₄H₂S‐PdBr(CNXy)(L₂)], 10a, b [L₂ = bpy ( 10a ), L₂ = dtbbpy ( 10b )] and an 8‐fold excess of isocyanide XyNC (Xy = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl) afforded tetraiminoacyl complexes of [2,5‐(C₄H₂S)(C?NXy)₈Pd₂Br₂], 11 . Complexes 2a, b and 3a, b reacted with TlOTf [(TfO = CF₃SO₃)] in CH₂Cl₂ to give 9a, b and 12a, b , respectively, in a moderate yield. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Base-catalyzed isomerization of phenylpropenes

The prototropic rearrangement of 3-phenyl-1-propenes to the corresponding 1-phenyl-1-propenes was investigated in basic media utilizing 0.1M sodium ethoxide in absolute ethanol at 81°C. It was found that the effect of substituents on the rate of such isomerizations follows the order: p-NO₂ > o-Cl > m-Cl ≥ m-F > p-Br > o-CH₃ > m-CH₃ > m-CH(CH₃)₂ > p-CH(CH₃)₂ ≥ p-C(CH₃)₃ > o-OCH₃. This is consistent with first-order kinetics and “BS” mechanism. Quantitative treatment in terms of Hammett's equation showed a straight line, with a slope (p value) of +2.25. An increase in the strength of the base was also found to cause an increase in the rate of isomerization.