Isatin, thiosemicarbazone and their derivatives have been widely used in biological applications such as antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer therapies. Herein, eight isatin and thiosemicarbazone ...derivative compounds were re-synthesized and evaluated for DNA binding analysis including DNA protection studies using plasmid DNA (pUC19) and DNA interaction experiments using calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA). All compounds were also utilized in vitro assay to assess the antimicrobial activity of compounds against different pathogenic bacterial strains. All isatin and thiosemicarbazone derivative compounds exhibited DNA protection activity which ranged from 23.5 to 59.5%. Among them, I3-(N-2-MP)-TSC had the greatest DNA protective activity. For DNA binding analysis, all compounds had the same constant concentration (40 μM), which interacts with CT-DNA. It was also observed that DNA interactions gave a high intrinsic binding constant (Kb = 1.72 × 104 M−1–9.73 × 105 M−1). Besides, several derivatives of isatin thiosemicarbazone exhibited significant and selective antibacterial activity with low concentration. These compounds primarily affected Gram-positive bacteria, but were not effective against P. vulgaris and E. coli. The Gram-positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300 (MRSA) was the most influenced strain by these compounds. It was found that methyphenyl group at isatin was essential for its antibacterial activity for MRSA.
Sorghum is a versatile crop with great potential as a sustainable food, feed, and bioenergy source. To mitigate the severely negative impact of climate change and population growth on food and energy ...security, further elevation of the crops stress tolerance is urgently needed. Genome editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas have great potential to accelerate functional genomics and crop improvement by supporting targeted modification of almost any crop gene sequence. We describe the recent progress in genome editing of sorghum. In addition, we review remaining challenges and prospects of emerging gene editing technologies for rapid precision breeding of this crop.
Medicinal plants offer natural cures and inspire modern medicine's development. This study examined the antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and antiproliferative activities of various extracts obtained ...from aerial and root fragments of Phlomoides molucelloides (Bunge) Salmaki. The extracts' overall phenolics, flavonoids, and compounds were defined using colorimetric and LC-MS/MS analyses. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid content was measured in the methanol and infusion extracts of the aerial fragments, with 102.21 mg RE/g and 51.33 mg GAE/g, respectively. Most compounds were defined as flavonoids, predominantly as apigenin and quercetin glycosides. Methanol, 70 % methanol, and infusion extracts from aerial parts had the highest antioxidant activity determined by DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, metal chelation, and phosphomolybdenum analyses. Moreover, the methanol extract of the roots had the highest anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-butyrylcholinesterase, and anti-glucosidase activities. The dichloromethane extracts of the roots displayed the highest anti-tyrosinase and anti-amylase activities. The antiproliferative activity of the extracts was investigated against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and HeLa cell lines. The lowest IC50 value (875.7 µg/mL) was computed for the methanol extract of the aerial part on the MCF-7 cell line at the 48th h. The findings showed that P. molucelloides extracts may offer a promising therapeutic approach due to their rich bioactive content.
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•Antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory properties of the extracts were carried out.•The extracts' phenolic and flavonoid content and compounds were defined.•The anticancer activity of the extracts was studied by MTT assay.•P. molucelloides extracts may offer a promising therapeutic approach.
Bidens tripartita L. is a traditional phyto-remedy used in several countries, yet there is still a paucity of data on its biological potential. We aimed to provide new insights on the pharmacological ...potential of extracts prepared from B. tripartita via highlighting its antioxidant, key enzymes inhibitory potency, and DNA protecting effects. Phytochemical profile was established using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) and bioactive compound(s) docked against target enzymes using in silico methods. Cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines was assessed using the methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability test. The main compounds were luteolin-7-glucoside (cynaroside), chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin in the extracts. The methanol extract exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity. Ethyl acetate extract showed strongest α-amylase inhibitory activity, while the best α-glucosidase inhibitory effect recorded for the methanol extract. Molecular docking showed that cynaroside strongly interact to α-glucosidase cavity by establishing six hydrogen bonds. B. tripartita extracts were found to protect supercoiled form of pUC19 plasmid (>70%) and also showed anti-proliferative properties. Results amassed in the present study add on to a growing body of literature on the multi-pharmacological potency of B. tripartita which can be applied to bio-products development geared towards management of common diseases.
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•Several biological activities and chemical constituents of Sida acuta were investigated.•Chemical profiles were detected by UHPLC-HRMS analysis.•Phenolic acids and flavonoid were ...main groups in the chemical profiles.•Methanol extract exhibited the best antioxidant properties and cytotoxic effects.•S. acuta might be novel sources of biologically-active compounds in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
The chemical components, in vitro antioxidant capacities and enzyme inhibitory effects of dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA), methanol (MeOH) and water extracts of the medicinal plant, Sida acuta Burm. f. were evaluated. The individual phenolic components were assessed via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). In terms of chemical composition, phenolics (hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids) and flavonoids were identified as main groups. The antioxidant capacities were evaluated using a panoply of cell-free bioassays and the enzymatic inhibitory potentials against key enzymes involved in human diseases were also determined. The water extract exhibited the strongest scavenging abilities on DPPH (IC50: 1.05 mg/mL) and ABTS (IC50: 1.02 mg /mL). The best cholinesterase inhibitory abilities were observed with the methanol extract (IC50: 0.51 and 0.52 mg/mL for AChE and BChE, respectively), while DCM exhibited the strongest α-amylase (IC50: 1.21 mg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC50: 0.62 mg/mL) inhibitory effects. The anti-cancer effects of methanol and water extracts were tested on human breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231, and the methanol extract showed the best anti-cancer effect with an IC50 value of 102.4 μg/mL. In conclusion, the experimental data have demonstrated promising pharmacological activities of S. acuta extracts obtained using different solvents, thereby providing a scientific basis for the validation of the traditional medicinal uses of this plant.
The 1,3,4-thiadiazole core has been mainly used as a pharmacological scaffold in medicinal chemistry. A series of Schiff bases derived from 5-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-amine were designed and ...synthesized to investigate their biological activities. Structures of compounds were clarified with FTIR, 1H NMR and elemental analysis. Due to the importance of this core in pharmacology, all these newly synthesized compounds were tested for different biological properties at the same time. Compound 3A ((E)-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-5-(4-methoxyquinolin-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine) and compound 4A ((E)-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-5-(3-methylbenzofuran-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine) possessed high DNA protective ability against oxidative Fenton mixture. Compound 1A ((E)-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-5-(benzobthiophen-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine) and compound 2B ((E)-2-((5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol) showed strong antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis. The most effective compound was detected as compound 3A which exhibited cytotoxicity on both PC-3 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. The IC50 of this compound was calculated as 370.7 μM and 505.1 μM for MDA-MB-231 and PC-3 cells, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also performed to examine the understanding of the mechanism behind the anti-cancer and anti-bacterial properties. For further study, compound 3A has the potential for utilization with chemotherapy drugs to establish a more efficient therapy strategy with minimum cytotoxicity against cancer cells.
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•New pharmacological structures were synthesized including 1,3,4-thiadiazole and imine groups.•High DNA protective ability was found against the oxidative Fenton mixture.•Cytotoxic effect was observed against PC-3 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines.•Molecular docking studies were applied for understanding the mechanism of antiproliferative and antibacterial properties.
Watermelon and melon are members of the Cucurbitaceae family including economically significant crops in the world. The expansin protein family, which is one of the members of the cell wall, breaks ...down the non-covalent bonds between cell wall polysaccharides, causing pressure-dependent cell expansion. Comparative bioinformatics and molecular characterization analysis of the expansin protein family were carried out in the watermelon (
Citrullus lanatus
) and melon (
Cucumis melo
) plants in the study. Gene expression levels of expansin family members were analyzed in leaf and root tissues of watermelon and melon under ABA, drought, heat, cold, and salt stress conditions by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. After comprehensive searches, 40 expansin proteins (22 ClaEXPA, 14 ClaEXPLA, and 4 ClaEXPB) in watermelon and 43 expansin proteins (19 CmEXPA, 15 CmEXPLA, 3 CmEXPB, and 6 CmEXPLB) in melon were identified. The greatest orthologous genes were identified with soybean expansin genes for watermelon and melon. However, the latest divergence time between orthologous genes was determined with poplar expansin genes for watermelon and melon expansin genes.
ClaEXPA-04
,
ClaEXPA-09
,
ClaEXPB-01
,
ClaEXPB-03
, and
ClaEXPLA-13
genes in watermelon and
CmEXPA-12
,
CmEXPA-10
, and
CmEXPLA-01
genes in melon can be involved in tissue development and abiotic stress response of the plant. The current study combining bioinformatics and experimental analysis can provide a detailed characterization of the expansin superfamily which has roles in growth and reaction to the stress of the plant. The study ensures detailed data for future studies examining gene functions including the roles in plant growth and stress conditions.
Background
Nerium oleander
L. is ethnopharmacologically used for diabetes. Our aim was to investigate the ameliorative effects of ethanolic
Nerium
flower extract (NFE) in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
...Methods
Seven random groups including control group, NFE group (50 mg/kg), diabetic group, glibenclamide group and NFE treated groups (25 mg/kg, 75 mg/kg, and 225 mg/kg) were composed of forty-nine rats. Blood glucose level, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin level, liver damage parameters and lipid profile parameters were investigated. Antioxidant defense system enzyme activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and immunotoxic and neurotoxic parameters were determined in liver tissue. Additionally, the ameliorative effects of NFE were histopathologically examined in liver. mRNA levels of SLC2A2 gene encoding glucose transporter 2 protein were measured by quantitative real time PCR.
Results
NFE caused decrease in glucose level and HbA1c and increase in insulin and C-peptide levels. Additionally, NFE improved liver damage biomarkers and lipid profile parameters in serum. Moreover, lipid peroxidation was prevented and antioxidant enzyme activities in liver were regulated by NFE treatment. Furthermore, anti-immunotoxic and anti-neurotoxic effects of NFE were determined in liver tissue of diabetic rats. Histopathogically, significant liver damages were observed in the diabetic rats. Histopathological changes were decreased partially in the 225 mg/kg NFE treated group. SLC2A2 gene expression in liver of diabetic rats significantly reduced compared to healthy rats and NFE treatment (25 mg/kg) caused increase in gene expression.
Conclusion
Flower extract of
Nerium
plant may have an antidiabetic potential due to its high phytochemical content.
Graphical Abstract
This study aims to establish the biological and chemical profile of Asphodeline liburnica (Scop.) Rchb. root. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, enzyme inhibitory, DNA protection, apoptotic DNA ladder ...fragmentation analysis, and anti-proliferative of A. liburnica were established using standard assays. In silico study was also performed to understand interactions between quantified anthraquinones and key enzymes of clinical relevance. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found to be 9.67 mgGAE/g and 1.48 mgRE/g extract, respectively. Chrysophanol was detected as a major anthraquinone. The extract exhibited radical scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS with values of 13.23 and 66.99 mgTE/g extract, respectively. Good inhibitory activity against tyrosinase was recorded. In silico experiments showed that the anthraquinones were able to establish coordinative bonds with the copper atoms present in the enzymatic cavity of tyrosinase. MTT cell viability test on MDA-MB-231 cells showed that at 0.1 and 1 μg of extracts induced anti-proliferative effect. Apoptotic DNA fragmentation analysis indicated nuclear condensation resulting in DNA fragmentation, which exhibited apoptotic cell death in the presence of A. liburnica. This study has provided insights on the potential usage of A. liburnica which could open new avenues for research and stimulate future interest for the development of safe novel biopharmaceuticals.
•Medicinal and toxicological properties of Asphodeline liburnica were studied.•The extract showed potent radical scavenging ability and inhibited tyrosinase significantly.•Chrysophanol established coordinative bonds with Cu in the enzymatic cavity of tyrosinase in silico.•MTT cell viability test on MDA-MB-231 cells showed anti-proliferative effect of the extract.•A. liburnica is a potent source of bioactive compounds for designing novel functional products.
•Chemical profiles of Chrysophyllum perpulchrum extracts were investigated.•Different parameters for biological profiles were detected.•The stem bark extracts had more activity than leaves ...extracts.•Flavan-3-ols were main components in the methanol extracts.•Chrysophyllum perpulchrum is as source of phyto-pharmaceutics.
Chrysophyllum perpulchrum Mildbr. ex Hutch. & Dalziel has been reported to possess several therapeutic properties in African traditional medicine. However, its pharmacological properties have not been fully studied. Herein, we focused on the evaluation of the antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of three solvent extracts (ethyl acetate, methanol, and water) of the stem bark and leaves. Polyphenolic components of the extracts were also identified by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-ESI-MSn). The methanolic stem bark extract possess the highest DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging, ferric and molybdenum (VI) reducing, and the highest inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. The aqueous stem bark extract displayed the highest ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)) scavenging and cupric reducing power. In contrast, the leaf ethyl acetate extract was the most effective metal chelator and α-amylase inhibitor while the leaf methanolic extract exhibited the highest tyrosinase and α-glucosidase inhibition. The highest total phenolic content (131.58 mg GAE/g extract) was recorded from the methanolic stem bark extract while the leaf methanolic extract was the richest in total flavonoid content (30.43 mg RE/g extract). Flavan-3-ols were main group in the methanol extracts. The minimum inhibitiory concentration values for the methanolic stem bark extract against Gram positive and negative bacteria strains ranged between 62.5–125 μg/ml. Bark extracts of C. perpulchrum were very effective against Salmonella kentucky, Proteus vulgaris and Staphylococcus aureus at 62.5 μg/ml. In addition, cytotoxic activity of stem bark samples was evident at lower concentration than those of leaf extracts. Stem bark extracts displayed the highest prevention against to HeLa cell line (IC50 = 264 μg/mL after 48 h). In light of the above, C. perpulchrum might provide health benefits against oxidative stress and the associated chronic diseases. Nonetheless, the detailed mechanism of action is yet to be further investigated.
