Enhancement of β-Glucan Biological Activity Using a Modified Acid-Base Extraction Method from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Beta glucan (β-glucan) has promising bioactive properties. Consequently, the use of β-glucan as a food additive is favored with the dual-purpose potential of increasing the fiber content of food products and enhancing their health properties. Our aim was to evaluate the biological activity of β-glucan (antimicrobial, antitoxic, immunostimulatory, and anticancer) extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a modified acid-base extraction method. The results demonstrated that a modified acid-base extraction method gives a higher biological efficacy of β-glucan than in the water extraction method. Using 0.5 mg dry weight of acid-base extracted β-glucan (AB extracted) not only succeeded in removing 100% of aflatoxins, but also had a promising antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, fungi, and yeast, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.39 and 0.19 mg/mL in the case of resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. In addition, AB extract exhibited a positive immunomodulatory effect, mediated through the high induction of TNFα, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL-2. Moreover, AB extract showed a greater anticancer effect against A549, MDA-MB-232, and HepG-2 cells compared to WI-38 cells, at high concentrations. By studying the cell death mechanism using flow-cytometry, AB extract was shown to induce apoptotic cell death at higher concentrations, as in the case of MDA-MB-231 and HePG-2 cells. In conclusion, the use of a modified AB for β-glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae exerted a promising antimicrobial, immunomodulatory efficacy, and anti-cancer potential. Future research should focus on evaluating β-glucan in various biological systems and elucidating the underlying mechanism of action.     

Prospects of Curcumin Nanoformulations in Cancer Management

There is increasing interest in the use of natural compounds with beneficial pharmacological effects for managing diseases. Curcumin (CUR) is a phytochemical that is reportedly effective against some cancers through its ability to regulate signaling pathways and protein expression in cancer development and progression. Unfortunately, its use is limited due to its hydrophobicity, low bioavailability, chemical instability, photodegradation, and fast metabolism. Nanoparticles (NPs) are drug delivery systems that can increase the bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs and improve drug targeting to cancer cells via different mechanisms and formulation techniques. In this review, we have discussed various CUR-NPs that have been evaluated for their potential use in treating cancers. Formulations reviewed include lipid, gold, zinc oxide, magnetic, polymeric, and silica NPs, as well as micelles, dendrimers, nanogels, cyclodextrin complexes, and liposomes, with an emphasis on their formulation and characteristics. CUR incorporation into the NPs enhanced its pharmaceutical and therapeutic significance with respect to solubility, absorption, bioavailability, stability, plasma half-life, targeted delivery, and anticancer effect. Our review shows that several CUR-NPs have promising anticancer activity; however, clinical reports on them are limited. We believe that clinical trials must be conducted on CUR-NPs to ensure their effective translation into clinical applications.     

New Composite Sorbent for Removal of Sulfate Ions from Simulated and Real Groundwater in the Batch and Continuous Tests

The evaluation of groundwater quality in the Dammam formation, Faddak farm, Karbala Governorate, Iraq proved that the sulfate (SO₄²⁻) concentrations have high values; so, this water is not suitable for livestock, poultry and irrigation purposes. For reclamation of this water, manufacturing of new sorbent for permeable reactive barrier was required through precipitation of Mg and Fe hydroxides nanoparticles on the activated carbon (AC) surface with best Mg/Fe molar ratio of 7.5/2.5. Mixture of 50% coated AC and 50% scrap iron was applied to eliminate SO₄²⁻ from contaminated water with efficiency of 59% and maximum capacity of adsorption equals to 9.5 mg/g for a time period of 1 h, sorbent dosage 40 g/L, and initial pH = 5 at 50 mg/L initial SO₄²⁻ concentration and 200 rpm shaking speed. Characterization analyses certified that the plantation of Mg and Fe nanoparticles onto AC was achieved. Continuous tests showed that the longevity of composite sorbent is increased with thicker bed and lower influent concentration and flow rate. Computer solution (COMSOL) software was well simulated for continuous measurements. The reclamation of real contaminated groundwater was achieved in column set-up with efficiency of 70% when flow rate was 5 mL/min, bed depth was 50 cm and inlet SO₄²⁻ concentration was 2301 mg/L.     

Synthesis of Selenium(0) and Zinc(II) Biomolecules in Nano-Structured Forms as New Antioxidant Agents: Chemical and Biological Studies

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - In this paper, two new complexes of selenium caffeine, [Se(Caf)4], and zinc α-tocopherol, [Zn(α-Tpl)2(NO3)2], are synthesized. The structures of...     

Preparation and Spectroscopic of Vanadyl(Ⅱ) Vitamin D_3 Amino Acid Mixed Complexes as Insulin Mimetic Drug

A new six intraperitoneal injection insulin-mimetic vanadyl(Ⅱ) compounds [(VD-1₃)(VO+2)(AA-1_n)] (where (n=1～6); AA₁=isoleucine, AA₂=threonine, AA₃=proline, AA₄=phenylalanine, AA₅=lysine and AA₆=glutamine) were synthesized by the chemical reactions between vitamin D₃ (VD₃), VOSO₄ and amino acids (AA_n) with equal molar ratio 1∶1∶1 in neutralized media. The structures of these complexes were elucidated by spectroscopic methods like, infrared and solid reflectance spectroscopes. Magnetic moments and electronic spectra reveal square pyramid geometrical structure of the complexes. The infrared spectra assignments of these complexes revealed that the chelation towards vanadyl(Ⅳ) ions existed via deprotonation of the hydroxyl group of VD₃ drug ligand and so amino acids act as bidentate ligand via N-amino and O-carboxylate groups. The anti-diabetic efficiency of these complexes were evaluated against streptozotocin induced diabetic male albino rats.     

Essential oil composition of the aerial parts of fresh and air-dried Salvia palaestina Benth. (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Jordan

The composition of the essential oil of fresh and air-dried Salvia palaestina Benth. (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Jordan has been studied using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The essential oils of fresh and air-dried S. palaestina were mainly composed of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (52.66% and 65.98%, respectively). The major component detected in the oils of fresh and dry S. palaestina was germacrene D (21.18% and 26.02%, respectively). Air drying resulted in a general increase of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and a great decrease in the percentage of monoterpene hydrocarbons.     

Design and Synthesis of Coumarin Derivatives as Cytotoxic Agents through PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway Inhibition in HL60 and HepG2 Cancer Cells

In this study, a series of coumarin derivatives, either alone or as hybrids with cinnamic acid, were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against a panel of cancer cells using the MTT assay. Then, the most active compounds were inspected for their mechanism of cytotoxicity by cell-cycle analysis, RT-PCR, DNA fragmentation, and Western blotting techniques. Cytotoxic results showed that compound (4) had a significant cytotoxic effect against HL60 cells (IC₅₀ = 8.09 µM), while compound (8b) had a noticeable activity against HepG2 cells (IC₅₀ = 13.14 µM). Compounds (4) and (8b) mediated their cytotoxicity via PI3K/AKT pathway inhibition. These results were assured by molecular docking studies. These results support further exploratory research focusing on the therapeutic activity of coumarin derivatives as cytotoxic agents.     

2‐(4‐Chloro­phenyl)‐1,3‐di­cyano‐6,7‐di­hydro‐4‐imino‐9,10‐di­methoxy­benzo­[a]­quinolizine–water (2/5)

Crystals of the title compound, C₂₃H₁₇ClN₄O₂·2.5H₂O, contain channels filled with highly disordered water mol­ecules. The best structure refinement was obtained by removing the solvent contribution from the intensity data and refining against a solvent‐free model. The central six‐membered ring of the quinolizine mol­ecule has a slightly distorted screw‐boat conformation.