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Chemistry (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Jun 2024Choline chloride (ChCl) based binary and ternary deep eutectic solvents (DES) were evaluated for methylene green electropolymerization with oxalic acid (OA) and ethylene...
Choline chloride (ChCl) based binary and ternary deep eutectic solvents (DES) were evaluated for methylene green electropolymerization with oxalic acid (OA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as hydrogen bond donors. Binary DES ChCl:OA in molar ratios 1:1 and 2:1 and ChCl:EG 1:2 and ternary DES (tDES) in different molar ratios and percentages of water were evaluated. The highest polymer growth was in ChCl:OA:EG-tDES with added water, that had a lower viscosity and higher ionic conductivity when associated with HCl as dopant. This enhanced the formation of more cation radicals and, consequently, more polymer formation. The PMG/MWCNT/GCE-tDES sensor was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and acetaminophen (APAP) by differential pulse voltammetry in the concentration range 2 µM - 200 µM, with detection limits of 0.37 µM and 0.49 µM for 5-ASA and APAP, respectively. The sensor demonstrated good repeatability, reproducibility and stability, and was successfully applied in pharmaceutical formulations.
PubMed: 38900538
DOI: 10.1002/chem.202401752 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Newly synthesized gemini quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) with different counterions (bromide, hydrogen chloride, methylcarbonate, acetate, lactate), chain lengths (C12,...
Newly synthesized gemini quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) with different counterions (bromide, hydrogen chloride, methylcarbonate, acetate, lactate), chain lengths (C12, C14, C16) and methylene linker (3xCH) were tested. Dihydrochlorides and dibromides with 12 carbon atoms in hydrophobic chains were characterized by the highest biological activity against planktonic forms of yeast and yeast-like fungi. The tested gemini surfactants also inhibited the production of filaments by C. albicans. Moreover, they reduced the adhesion of C. albicans cells to the surfaces of stainless steel, silicone and glass, and slightly to polystyrene. In particular, the gemini compounds with 16-carbon alkyl chains were most effective against biofilms. It was also found that the tested surfactants were not cytotoxic to yeast cells. Moreover, dimethylcarbonate (2xCMeCOG) did not cause hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes. Dihydrochlorides, dilactate and diacetate showed no mutagenic potential.
Topics: Biofilms; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Antifungal Agents; Candida albicans; Animals; Sheep; Surface-Active Agents; Hemolysis; Erythrocytes; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Cell Adhesion; Stainless Steel
PubMed: 38898117
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64859-y -
Journal of Microorganism Control 2024Cupriavidus metallidurans strain PD11 isolated from laboratory waste drainage can use C1 compounds, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol, as a sole carbon and...
Cupriavidus metallidurans strain PD11 isolated from laboratory waste drainage can use C1 compounds, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol, as a sole carbon and energy source. However, strain CH34 (a type-strain) cannot grow in the medium supplemented with DCM. In the present study, we aimed to unravel the genetic elements underlying the utilization of C1 compounds by strain PD11. The genome subtraction approach indicated that only strain PD11 had several genes highly homologous to those of Herminiimonas arsenicoxydans strain ULPAs1. Moreover, a series of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the orthologs of H. arsenicoxydans genes and the comparative study of the genomes of three strains revealed that the 87.9 kb DNA fragment corresponding to HEAR1959 to HEAR2054 might be horizontally transferred to strain PD11. The 87.9 kb DNA fragment identified was found to contain three genes whose products were putatively involved in the metabolism of formaldehyde, a common intermediate of DCM and methanol. In addition, reverse transcription PCR analysis showed that all three genes were significantly expressed when strain PD11 was cultivated in the presence of DCM or methanol. These findings suggest that strain PD11 can effectively utilize the C1 compounds because of transfer of the mobile genetic elements from other bacterial species, for instance, from H. arsenicoxydans.
Topics: Methanol; Cupriavidus; Methylene Chloride; Interspersed Repetitive Sequences; Energy Metabolism; Genome, Bacterial; Gene Transfer, Horizontal
PubMed: 38880617
DOI: 10.4265/jmc.29.2_55 -
Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista... 2024Products derived from medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity are considered a promising alternative in the treatment of fungal infections. In this perspective,...
Products derived from medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity are considered a promising alternative in the treatment of fungal infections. In this perspective, this study proposed to evaluate the antifungal activity of the dichloromethane fraction of Annona crassiflora Mart. against C. albicans strains. Tests were carried out to determine Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Fungicide Concentration (MFC), microbial growth kinetics, fungal cell wall and membrane mechanisms of action, antifungal biofilm activity, and cytotoxic effects on human erythrocytes. The extract presented MIC and MFC values that ranged from 256 µg/mL to 1,024 µg/mL, with fungicidal activity in the microbial growth kinetics assay. The mechanism of action did not occur through damage to the cell wall or via binding to ergosterol in the membrane, though the fraction presents activity against biofilm and is not cytotoxic in human erythrocytes. The dichloromethane fraction of Annona crassiflora Mart. presented antifungal activity and reduced biofilm growth, without toxicity against human erythrocytes; however, further studies are needed to define its mechanism of action.
Topics: Annona; Antifungal Agents; Candida albicans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Humans; Plant Extracts; Biofilms; Methylene Chloride; Erythrocytes
PubMed: 38865564
DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.278069 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Persistent environmental colored compounds, resistant to biodegradation, accumulate and harm eco-systems. Developing effective methods to break down these pollutants is...
Sustainable conversion of polyethylene plastic bottles into terephthalic acid, synthesis of coated MIL-101 metal-organic framework and catalytic degradation of pollutant dyes.
Persistent environmental colored compounds, resistant to biodegradation, accumulate and harm eco-systems. Developing effective methods to break down these pollutants is crucial. This study introduces Ag-MIL-101 (Ag-MIL-101) as a composite and reusable catalyst that efficiently degrades specific colored organic pollutants (COPs) like Methylene blue (MB), 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP), and 4-Nitroaniline (4-NA) using sodium borohydride at room temperature. The MIL-101 was synthesized using Terephthalic acid (TPA) derived from the degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic waste, with the assistance of zinc chloride. To further investigation, the kinetics of degradation reaction was studied under optimized conditions in the presence of Ag-MIL-101 as catalyst. Our results demonstrated the remarkable efficiency of the degradation process, with over 93% degradation achieved within just 8 min. The catalyst was characterized using FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and TEM. In this study, the average particle size of Ag-MIL-101 was determined using SEM and XRD analysis. These methods allow us to accurately and precisely determine the particle size. We determined the reaction rate constants for the degradation of each COP using a pseudo first-order kinetic equation, with values of 0.585, 0.597 and 0.302 min for MB, 4-NP, and 4-NA, respectively. We also evaluated the recyclability of the catalyst and found that it could be reused for up to three cycles with only a slight decrease in efficiency (10-15%). Overall, our findings highlight the promising application of Ag-MIL-101 as an effective catalyst for the degradation of COPs, emphasizing the importance of optimizing reaction conditions to achieve enhanced efficiency.
PubMed: 38834601
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60363-5 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Jun 2024Chloroform (CF) and dichloromethane (DCM) are groundwater contaminants of concern due to their high toxicity and inhibition of important biogeochemical processes such as...
UNLABELLED
Chloroform (CF) and dichloromethane (DCM) are groundwater contaminants of concern due to their high toxicity and inhibition of important biogeochemical processes such as methanogenesis. Anaerobic biotransformation of CF and DCM has been well documented but typically independently of one another. CF is the electron acceptor for certain organohalide-respiring bacteria that use reductive dehalogenases (RDases) to dechlorinate CF to DCM. In contrast, known DCM degraders use DCM as their electron donor, which is oxidized using a series of methyltransferases and associated proteins encoded by the cassette to facilitate the entry of DCM to the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. The SC05 culture is an enrichment culture sold commercially for bioaugmentation, which transforms CF via DCM to CO. This culture has the unique ability to dechlorinate CF to DCM using electron equivalents provided by the oxidation of DCM to CO. Here, we use metagenomic and metaproteomic analyses to identify the functional genes involved in each of these transformations. Though 91 metagenome-assembled genomes were assembled, the genes for an RDase-named -and a complete cassette were found to be encoded on a single contig belonging to . AcdA and critical Mec proteins were also highly expressed by the culture. Heterologously expressed AcdA dechlorinated CF and other chloroalkanes but had 100-fold lower activity on DCM. Overall, the high expression of Mec proteins and the activity of AcdA suggest a capable of dechlorination of CF to DCM and subsequent mineralization of DCM using the cassette.
IMPORTANCE
Chloroform (CF) and dichloromethane (DCM) are regulated groundwater contaminants. A cost-effective approach to remove these pollutants from contaminated groundwater is to employ microbes that transform CF and DCM as part of their metabolism, thus depleting the contamination as the microbes continue to grow. In this work, we investigate bioaugmentation culture SC05, a mixed microbial consortium that effectively and simultaneously degrades both CF and DCM coupled to the growth of . We identified the functional genes responsible for the transformation of CF and DCM in SC05. These genetic biomarkers provide a means to monitor the remediation process in the field.
Topics: Chloroform; Methylene Chloride; Microbial Consortia; Bacterial Proteins; Biodegradation, Environmental; Groundwater; Metagenomics; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 38819127
DOI: 10.1128/aem.00732-24 -
Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome May 2024While oxidative stress is the key player driving diabetic nephropathy (DN), firm glycemic control remains the pillar prophylactic measure. Purslane was extensively...
Portulaca oleracea L seed extracts counteract diabetic nephropathy through SDF-1/IL10/PPARγ-mediated tuning of keap1/Nrf2 and NF-κB transcription in Sprague Dawley rats.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE
While oxidative stress is the key player driving diabetic nephropathy (DN), firm glycemic control remains the pillar prophylactic measure. Purslane was extensively described as a potent hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic agent owing to its rich content of antioxidants. Therefore, this report aimed to assess the renoprotective potentials of methanol (MO) and methylene chloride (MC) fixed oil extracts of purslane seeds in a diabetic nephropathy (DN) model.
METHODS
Purslane seeds were extracted using absolute methanol and methylene chloride, and type-1 diabetes was induced with a single 55 mg/kg dose of Streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in 100 mmol/L citrate buffer (pH 4.5), and then diabetic animals were received MO, MC, for 42 consecutive days to compare their antidiabetic effect relative to the reference drug "Losartan". Renal functions and DN biomarkers were weekly assessed, and the relative expression of different oxido-inflammatory mediators was quantified in diabetic kidneys by RT-PCR. Data were statistically analyzed using GraphPad Prism 9.0.2.
RESULTS
The oral administration of MO and MC extracts (250 mg/kg/day) significantly ameliorated the body weight loss (P < 0.0001 / each), fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) (P < 0.0001 / each), urine volume (P < 0.0001 / each), as well as serum creatinine (P < 0.0001 / each), uric acid (P = 0.0022, 0.0052), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (P = 0.0265, 0.0338); respectively, compared with the untreated diabetic rats. In addition, both extracts restored the effectuality of antioxidative machinery in diabetic kidneys as indicated by a significant reduction of ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation; higher GSH content, and promoted activity of glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.0001 / each). Histologically, both extracts alleviated the DN-structural alterations including the glomerular congestion and tubular degeneration, with MC-treated kidneys showing near to normal architecture. The transcription profiles of all treated kidneys revealed a significantly downregulated expression of TNF-α, IL-6, Keap1 and NF-κB genes, concomitant with a significant upregulation of SDF-1, IL-10, Nrf2, HO-1, and PPARγ gene expression (P < 0.0001 / all).
CONCLUSION
These findings highlight the remarkable DN-prophylactic potentials of purslane extracts mediated by neutralizing the hyperglycemia-induced ROS accumulation, and circumventing the downstream inflammatory cascades, surpassing the reference angiotensin receptor blocker; i.e. Losartan.
PubMed: 38811991
DOI: 10.1186/s13098-024-01330-y -
In Silico Pharmacology 2024East Africa ( spp.), notably , "Matooke" a staple and economically important food in the region. Here, 12 selected . peels extract (MAPE) bioactive compounds were...
East Africa ( spp.), notably , "Matooke" a staple and economically important food in the region. Here, 12 selected . peels extract (MAPE) bioactive compounds were studied for hepatoprotective potentials in aluminium chloride-induced hepatoxicity in adult BALB/c mice. GC-MS analysis was used to identify active components of MAPE. In silico estimation of the pharmacokinetic, the GCMS-identified compounds' toxicity profile and molecular docking were compared with the standard (Simvastatin) drug. Hepatotoxicity was induced using aluminium-chloride treated with MAPE, followed by biochemical and histopathological examination. Twelve bioactive compounds 2,2-Dichloroacetophenone (72870), Cyclooctasiloxane 18993663), 7-Hydroxy-6,9a-dimethyl-3-methylene-decahydro-azuleno[4,5-b]furan-2,9-dione (534579), all-trans-alpha-Carotene (4369188), Cyclononasiloxane (53438479), 3-Chloro-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6,7a-dimethyl-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-4H-furo[2,3-c]pyridin-2-one (536708), Pivalic acid (6417), 10,13-Octadecadienoic acid (54284936), Ethyl Linoleate (5282184), Oleic acid (5363269), Tirucallol (101257), Obtusifoliol (65252) were identified by GC-MS. Of these, seven were successfully docked with the target proteins. The compounds possess drug likeness potentials that do not inhibits CYP450 isoforms biotransformation. All the docked compounds were chemoprotective to AMES toxicity, hERGI, hERGII and hepatotoxicity. The animal model reveals MAPE protective effect on liver marker's function while the histological studies show regeneration of the disoriented layers of bile ducts and ameliorate the cellular/histoarchitecture of the hepatic cells induced by AlCl. The findings indicate that MAPE improved liver functions and ameliorated the hepatic cells' cellular or histoarchitecture induced by AlCl. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanism action and toxicological evaluation of MAPE's chronic or intermittent use to ascertain its safety in whole organism systems.
PubMed: 38800619
DOI: 10.1007/s40203-024-00216-1 -
Iranian Journal of Basic Medical... 2024The newest virus from the SARS family of viruses called acute syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19 disease, was identified in China at the end of... (Review)
Review
The newest virus from the SARS family of viruses called acute syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19 disease, was identified in China at the end of 2019. In March 2020, after it spread to 29 additional countries, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly starts through the respiratory tract and causes a wide spectrum of symptoms from asymptomatic infections to acute respiratory distress syndrome with multi-organ failure and vasoplegic shock. Among the many immunomodulatory and antiviral drugs that have been studied for the treatment of COVID-19, methylene blue (MB) may play an influential role. This article reviews the history of MB applications, the antiviral effects of MB against SARS-CoV-2, and the results of and studies of the use of MB in COVID-19. Based on studies, MB can simultaneously affect most of the host's harmful responses caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection due to its multiple properties, including anti-hypoxemia, anti-oxidant, immune system modulator, and antiviral. The use of MB is associated with a reduction in the possibility of getting infection, and mortality, and can be used as a safe, effective, cheap, and available treatment option with minimal side effects for the clinical management of COVID-19.
PubMed: 38800024
DOI: 10.22038/IJBMS.2024.71871.15617 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Alkaloids are natural compounds useful as scaffolds for discovering new bioactive molecules. This study utilized alkaloid gramine to synthesize two groups of...
Novel C3-Methylene-Bridged Indole Derivatives with and without Substituents at N1: The Influence of Substituents on Their Hemolytic, Cytoprotective, and Antimicrobial Activity.
Alkaloids are natural compounds useful as scaffolds for discovering new bioactive molecules. This study utilized alkaloid gramine to synthesize two groups of C3-substituted indole derivatives, which were either functionalized at N1 or not. The compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods. The protective effects of the new compounds against in vitro oxidative hemolysis induced by standard oxidant 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane dihydro chloride (AAPH) on human erythrocytes as a cell model were investigated. Additionally, the compounds were screened for antimicrobial activity. The results indicated that most of the indole derivatives devoid of the N1 substitution exhibited strong cytoprotective properties. The docking studies supported the affinities of selected indole-based ligands as potential antioxidants. Furthermore, the derivatives obtained exhibited potent fungicidal properties. The structures of the eight derivatives possessing indole moiety bridged to the imidazole-, benzimidazole-, thiazole-, benzothiazole-, and 5-methylbenzothiazoline-2-thiones were determined by X-ray diffraction. The C=S bond lengths in the thioamide fragment pointed to the involvement of zwitterionic structures of varying contribution. The predominance of zwitterionic mesomers may explain the lack of cytoprotective properties, while steric effects, which limit multiple the hydrogen-bond acceptor properties of a thione sulfur, seem to be responsible for the high hemolytic activity.
Topics: Humans; Hemolysis; Indoles; Erythrocytes; Molecular Docking Simulation; Anti-Infective Agents; Structure-Activity Relationship; Antioxidants; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Cytoprotection; Amidines
PubMed: 38791402
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105364