A systematic investigation on flavonoids,catechin, β-sitosterol and lignin glycosides from Saraca asoca (ashoka) having anti-cancer & antioxidant properties with no side effect

Saraca asoca is an IUCN red-listed tree species that extensively famous in the Ayurvedic medicine field. Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde belongs to the family Fabaceae, has been used to treat various gynecological disorders, bacterial infections, worm infestations, haemmorhagic dysentery, uterine pain, skin diseases, cancer, circulatory, cardiovascular disorders, and many others. All parts of the Saraca asoca have medicinal values. Numerous antioxidant compounds like flavonoids, catechin, beta-sitosterol, lignin glycosides are present in the bark, leaf, and flower of Saraca asoca plant, which help to stabilize free radicals molecules that are associated with the development of cancer conditions. Currently in the cancer research study field new and more effective modes of natural therapies are recently being analyzed. Traditional medicines have been used for their preventative role against various diseases in the human population. Plant based therapy for cancer prevention is becoming more demanding due to its various unique properties such as natural chemical composition, less expensiveness, naturally available., easily orally administrable, significant chemo-protective activities, nontoxic to normal cells in the body, less side effects compared to other synthetic chemotherapeutic drugs. The chemotherapeutic drugs will be harmful to both cancer and normal cells. Additionally, some common side effects or health consequences like vomiting, nausea, bleeding, hair fall, alopecia, hyperuricemia, thrombocytopenia, bone marrow depression, mucositis are very common after chemotherapeutic drug treatment in cancer. This review paper summarizes the evidences which agree with the fact that flavonoids and other phenolic compounds in Saraca asoca plant possess significant antioxidant activity and an efficient chemopreventive characteristic against different types of cancer. This paper reviews the anticancer activities of Saraca asoca bark and flower and discusses the potential preventive roles of phenolic and flavonoids compounds, present in bark and flower of Saraca asoca in the cancer treatment process.     

Is PF-00835231 a Pan-SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Inhibitor? A Comparative Study

The COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread worldwide at a rapid rate. Currently, the absence of any effective antiviral treatment is the major concern for the global population. The reports of the occurrence of various point mutations within the important therapeutic target protein of SARS-CoV-2 has elevated the problem. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a major therapeutic target for new antiviral designs. In this study, the efficacy of PF-00835231 was investigated (a Mpro inhibitor under clinical trials) against the Mpro and their reported mutants. Various in silico approaches were used to investigate and compare the efficacy of PF-00835231 and five drugs previously documented to inhibit the Mpro. Our study shows that PF-00835231 is not only effective against the wild type but demonstrates a high affinity against the studied mutants as well.     

Quasi Monte Carlo-based isotropic distribution of gradient directions for improved reconstruction quality of 3D EPR imaging

In continuous wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), high quality of reconstructed image along with fast and reliable data acquisition is highly desirable for many biological applications. An accurate representation of uniform distribution of projection data is necessary to ensure high reconstruction quality. The current techniques for data acquisition suffer from nonuniformities or local anisotropies in the distribution of projection data and present a poor approximation of a true uniform and isotropic distribution. In this work, we have implemented a technique based on Quasi-Monte Carlo method to acquire projections with more uniform and isotropic distribution of data over a 3D acquisition space. The proposed technique exhibits improvements in the reconstruction quality in terms of both mean-square-error and visual judgment. The effectiveness of the suggested technique is demonstrated using computer simulations and 3D EPRI experiments. The technique is robust and exhibits consistent performance for different object configurations and orientations.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis>-Switched Yb-Doped Fiber Ring Laser with a Saturable Absorber Based on a Graphene Polyvinyl Alcohol Film

We propose, design, and demonstrate a Q-switched ytterbium-doped fiber laser (YDFL) employing a thin graphene polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film as a passive saturable absorber (SA). The graphene is synthesized by electrochemical exfoliation of graphite at room temperature in 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) aqueous solution. Graphene flakes obtained from the process are mixed with PVA solution as the host polymer to produce a thin film, which acts as a passive Q-switcher in the YDFL ring cavity. The laser generates a stable pulse operating at a wavelength of 1,076.4 nm with a threshold pump power of 73.7 mW. At a maximum 980 nm pump power of 113.6 mW, the YDFL generates an optical pulse train with a repetition rate of 25.53 kHz and a pulse width of 10 μs. The maximum pulse energy of 50.9 nJ is obtained at a pump power of 109.9 mW. A higher-performance Q-switched YDFL is expected to be achieved with optimization of the graphene saturable absorber and the laser cavity.     

Chromatographic identification of “green capping agents” extracted from Nasturtium officinale (Brassicaceae) leaves for the synthesis of MoO3 nanoparticles

A low‐temperature, efficient and effective method was investigated for phytochemical hydroethanolic extraction of Nasturtium officinale (Brassicaceae). The phytocompounds of the selected plant leaves were identified by high‐performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy. Acetic acid, d ‐alanine, octodrine, decanoic acid, and cyclohexylethylamine were the major phytocompounds identified in N. officinale leaves with high similarity match and spectral purity. The reducing and stabilizing potential of the extracted phytochemicals was demonstrated by synthesizing the metal oxide nanoparticles (MoO₃) by treating ammonium heptamolybdate tetrahydrate (H₄MO₇N₆O₂₄.4H₂O) aqueous complex with bioactive compounds of the leaves. The bio‐synthesized MoO₃ nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, field emission‐scanning electron microscopy, and gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy. Gas chromatography‐mass spectroscopy identified acetic acid, d ‐alanine, and octodrine as stabilizing agents in the synthesis of MoO₃ nanoparticles.     

Nephroprotective Effects of Alhagi camelorum against Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Albino Wistar Rats

Alhagi camelorum (AC) is an old plant with a significant therapeutic value throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The overuse of cisplatin (Cis > 50 mg/m²) is associated with observed nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, gastrotoxicity, myelosuppression, and allergic reactions. Remedial measures are needed for the protection of nephrotoxicity against cisplatin. Thus, we investigated the nephroprotective effects of AC plant extract to prevent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in albino Wistar rats. The presence of polyphenols, phenolic compounds, tannins, and saponins was revealed during phytochemical investigation, and a significantly intense antioxidant activity was recorded. There were no toxicological symptoms in the treated rats, and no anatomical, physiological, or histological abnormalities were found compared to the control rats. The results of correcting cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity revealed that the extract has a significant ability to treat kidney damage, with most parameters returning to normal after only three weeks of therapy. It is concluded that co-administration of cisplatin with AC extract showed exceptional nephroprotective effects at a dose of 600 mg/kg for Cis-induced nephrotoxicity.     

Dielectric Properties of Colossal-Dielectric-Constant Na1/2La1/2Cu3Ti4O12 Ceramics Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering

In the current study, we report on the dielectric behavior of colossal-dielectric-constant Na_1/2La_1/2Cu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (NLCTO) ceramics prepared by mechanochemical synthesis and spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 850 °C, 900 °C, and 925 °C for 10 min. X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that all the ceramics have a cubic phase. Scanning electron microscope observations revealed an increase in the average grain size from 175 to 300 nm with an increase in the sintering temperature. SPS NLCTO ceramics showed a room-temperature colossal dielectric constant (>10³) and a comparatively high dielectric loss (>0.1) over most of the studied frequency range (1 Hz–40 MHz). Two relaxation peaks were observed in the spectra of the electrical modulus and attributed to the response of grain and grain boundary. According to the Nyquist plots of complex impedance, the SPS NLCTO ceramics have semiconductor grains surrounded by electrically resistive grain boundaries. The colossal dielectric constant of SPS NLCTO ceramics was attributed to the internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) effect. The high dielectric loss is thought to be due to the low resistivity of the grain boundary of SPS NLCTO.