Solanum elaeagnifolium Var. Obtusifolium (Dunal) Dunal: Antioxidant,Antibacterial, and Antifungal Activities of Polyphenol-Rich Extracts Chemically Characterized by Use of In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

The present work was designed to study the chemical composition and the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of fruits (SFr) and leaf (SF) extracts from Solanum elaeagnifolium var. obtusifolium (Dunal) Dunal (S. elaeagnifolium). The chemical composition was determined using HPLC-DAD analysis. Colorimetric methods were used to determine polyphenols and flavonoids. Antioxidant capacity was assessed with DPPH, TAC, and FRAP assays. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using disk diffusion and microdilution assays against two Gram (+) bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-6633 and Bacillus subtilis DSM-6333) and two Gram (-) bacteria (Escherichia coli K-12 and Proteus mirabilis ATCC-29906), while the antifungal effect was tested vs. Candida albicans ATCC-1023. By use of in silico studies, the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the studied extracts were also investigated. HPLC analysis showed that both fruits and leaf extracts from S. elaeagnifolium were rich in luteolin, quercetin, gallic acid, and naringenin. Both SFr and SF generated good antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 35.15 ± 6.09 μg/mL and 132.46 ± 11.73 μg/mL, respectively. The EC₅₀ of SFr and SF was 35.15 ± 6.09 μg/mL and 132.46 ± 11.73 μg/mL, respectively. SFr and SF also showed a good total antioxidant capacity of 939.66 ± 5.01 μg AAE/and 890.1 ± 7.76 μg AAE/g, respectively. SFr had important antibacterial activity vs. all tested strains—most notably B. subtilis DSM-6333 and E. coli, with MICs values of 2.5 ± 0.00 mg/mL and 2.50 ± 0.00 mg/mL, respectively. SFr demonstrated potent antifungal activity against C. albicans, with an inhibition diameter of 9.00 ± 0.50 mm and an MIC of 0.31 ± 0.00 mg/mL. The in silico approach showed that all compounds detected in SFr and SF had high activity (between −5.368 and 8.416 kcal/mol) against the receptors studied, including NADPH oxidase, human acetylcholinesterase, and beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase.     

Microwave Irradiation and Glutamic Acid-Assisted Phytotreatment of Tannery and Surgical Industrial Wastewater by Sorghum

We investigated how different doses of microwave irradiation (MR) affect seed germination in Sorghum, including the level of remediation against textile and surgical wastewater (WW) by modulating biochemical and morpho-physiological mechanisms under glutamic acid (GA) application. The experiment was conducted to determine the impact of foliar-applied GA on Sorghum under wastewater conditions. Plants were treated with or without microwave irradiation (30 s, 2.45 GHz), GA (5 and 10 mM), and wastewater (0, 25, 50, and 100). Growth and photosynthetic pigments were significantly decreased in plants only treated with various concentrations of WW. GA significantly improved the plant growth characteristics both in MR-treated and -untreated plants compared with respective controls. HMs stress increased electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content; however, the GA chelation significantly improved the antioxidant enzymes activities such as ascorbate oxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) both in MR-treated and -untreated plants under WW stress compared with respective controls. The results suggested that the MR-treated plants accumulate higher levels of HMs under GA addition in comparison to the WW-only-treated and MR-untreated plants. The maximum increase in Cd accumulation was observed in the range of 14–629% in the roots, 15–2964% in the stems, and 26–4020% in the leaves; the accumulation of Cu was 18–2757% in the roots, 15–4506% in the stems, and 23–4605% in the leaves; and the accumulation of Pb was 13–4122% in the roots, 21–3588% in the stems, and 21–4990% in the leaves under 10 mM GA and MR-treated plants. These findings confirmed that MR-treated sorghum plants had a higher capacity for HMs uptake under GA and could be used as a potential candidate for wastewater treatment.     

Theragnostic Applications of Mammal and Plant-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Latest Findings,Current Technologies,and Prospects

The way cells communicate is not fully understood. However, it is well-known that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved. Researchers initially thought that EVs were used by cells to remove cellular waste. It is now clear that EVs function as signaling molecules released by cells to communicate with one another, carrying a cargo representing the mother cell. Furthermore, these EVs can be found in all biological fluids, making them the perfect non-invasive diagnostic tool, as their cargo causes functional changes in the cells upon receiving, unlike synthetic drug carriers. EVs last longer in circulation and instigate minor immune responses, making them the perfect drug carrier. This review sheds light on the latest development in EVs isolation, characterization and, application as therapeutic cargo, novel drug loading techniques, and diagnostic tools. We also address the advancement in plant-derived EVs, their characteristics, and applications; since plant-derived EVs only recently gained focus, we listed the latest findings. Although there is much more to learn about, EV is a wide field of research; what scientists have discovered so far is fascinating. This paper is suitable for those new to the field seeking to understand EVs and those already familiar with it but wanting to review the latest findings.     

Extraction Treatment of Delayed Coker Heavy Gas Oil with N-Methylpyrrolidone

Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry - The results of one-step extraction treatment of delayed coker heavy gas oil from the Gazpromneft–Omsk Oil Refinery to remove sulfur- and...     

Coulomb forces impacts on nanomaterial transportation within porous tank with lid walls

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Electrical sensor has been considered in the current attempt. Combination of buoyancy, electric and radiative forces has been included in the governing...     

A deep learning method for estimating the boiling heat transfer coefficient of porous surfaces

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Owing to the high nucleation site density and relatively robust behavior, sintered coated surfaces are of great interest for thermal management via...     

Numerical simulation of the performance of a novel parabolic solar receiver filled with nanofluid

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The aim of this work is the energy analysis of a novel semicircle-shaped parabolic trough solar collector filled with the water–boehmite alumina...     

Fabrication of ZnSe Thin Solid Films on the Cu Substrate and Investigation of Electrochemical,Adhesion and Solar Cell Properties by a New Technique

Russian Journal of Electrochemistry - Zinc selenide has applications in the fabrication of low-cost solar cells and optoelectronic devices. Due to its optical properties and large direct bandgap,...     

Development and Characterization of Novel Biopolymer Derived from Abelmoschus esculentus L. Extract and Its Antidiabetic Potential

Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) is an important vegetable crop, widely cultivated around the world due to its high nutritional significance along with several health benefits. Different parts of okra including its mucilage have been currently studied for its role in various therapeutic applications. Therefore, we aimed to develop and characterize the okra mucilage biopolymer (OMB) for its physicochemical properties as well as to evaluate its in vitro antidiabetic activity. The characterization of OMB using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that okra mucilage containing polysaccharides lies in the bandwidth of 3279 and 1030 cm⁻¹, which constitutes the fingerprint region of the spectrum. In addition, physicochemical parameters such as percentage yield, percentage solubility, and swelling index were found to be 2.66%, 96.9%, and 5, respectively. A mineral analysis of newly developed biopolymers showed a substantial amount of calcium (412 mg/100 g), potassium (418 mg/100 g), phosphorus (60 mg/100 g), iron (47 mg/100 g), zinc (16 mg/100 g), and sodium (9 mg/100 g). The significant antidiabetic potential of OMB was demonstrated using α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory assay. Further investigations are required to explore the newly developed biopolymer for its toxicity, efficacy, and its possible utilization in food, nutraceutical, as well as pharmaceutical industries.