Ruta genus is constituted by ten species, of which the most commonly described are R. chalepensis and R. graveolens. Ruta plants are perennial shrubs belonging to the family Rutaceae, which are ...traditionally used in folk medicine, since ancient times mostly for the treatment of various ailments of the womb.
To provide a review of the different uses of Ruta species in traditional medicine, as well as, on their multifactorial biological and pharmacological properties.
A search of the literature on genus Ruta and Ruta species was performed using various scientific databases and search engines and the information of articles were reviewed and compiled.
Different parts of the plants belonging to Ruta genus are used in folk medicine to treat a wide range of different diseases. The principal use of these is in gynaecological field, but the treatment of pain, fever, nausea, inflammation, infections, nervous disorders, among others, are also described. These plants have been used to fertility regulation, as anti-fertility agent, to control menstrual flux and bleedings, as abortifacient and as contraceptive. The phytochemical composition of these plants consists mainly in essential oil (EO), but phenolic compounds were also reported, like coumarins and flavonoids, as well as alkaloids. Ruta species products like extracts and EOs have shown broad pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial and antifungal activities, as well as, antiviral and antiparasitic. Moreover, Ruta plants products present antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic activities and demonstrated contraceptive and abortifacient effects. These plants were also tested to be used for non-therapeutic approaches, as bio-insecticides in the control of different insect pests showing to be able to reduce infestation.
Ruta species could be a potential source of natural products with biological activities. Ruta extracts, essential oils and isolated compounds have shown a diverse potential for use in the treatment of different diseases, as well as, for pests control, contributing to the valorisation of these plants. Nonetheless, this review indicates that more studies are needed to demonstrate the full potential of Ruta species, and to further explore the toxicology and safety of these plants.
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In this work, a procedure using solid phase microextraction in combination with capillary electrophoresis was developed for the determination of oxytetracycline in milk samples. The method involves ...the synthesis of poly(1-allyl-3-methyl imidazolium) chloride film on a stainless-steel bar via electropolymerization and its use as an adsorbent for oxytetracycline (OT) by an ionic exchange mechanism. The coated fiber is then immersed in milk samples for retention of oxytetracycline residues, followed by elution, drying, and reconstitution before analysis with capillary electrophoresis. The proposed method achieves a limit of detection of 70 µg L
¹ with adequate precision and uncertainty, making this methodology appropriate for the determination of OT in milk samples. The method was applied to the pre-concentration and quantification of oxytetracycline in ten commercial milk samples. Two tested samples were positive for the presence of oxytetracycline but the concentration was below the maximum residue limit according to the international normative standard. The proposed methodology was evaluated according to the Eco-Scale approach, and the total score of 51 indicated that the methodology proposed is both green and acceptable despite the multi-stage character. SPME-CE methodology allows us to perform the sample pre-treatment and determination of OT in an effective and greener way, decreasing the number of steps during the analysis and the generation of waste.
In this work an electrochemical procedure for Cr(VI) flow based determination in tap water is presented. An AdCSV method was developed using a screen printed electrode modified with magnetic ...poly(1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium) chloride and the procedure does not require the addition of complexing agents in the solution unlike the methodologies reported so far for Cr(VI) determination. The flow based system is described and the control variables were studied in detail and optimized using a Taguchi parameters design. Under optimal conditions, the electrochemical sensor offered an excellent response to Cr(VI) and the limit of detection estimated from 3σ was 0.5 µg L−1 (n = 3) allowing the analysis of tap water samples. The effect of interfering ions was also investigated below the maximum permissible limits for tap water according to Mexican standards. The presence of the magnetic particles on the sorbent allowed its easy modification on the electrode surface between each determination when removing the magnetic field placed in the wall-jet cell. Finally, the precision of the method was tested with tap water samples using standard addition method for Cr(VI) quantification and the accuracy was evaluated comparing the results with the dyphenylcarbazide method and by analyzing a certified water sample. The method shows good repeatability and reproducibility (%RSD less than 5%) making it feasible for Cr(VI) flow based determination and no significant difference is observed in the results obtained by both methods.
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•An AdCSV procedure for Cr(VI) on-line analysis in tap waters is presented.•A SPE is modified with a magnetic poly(ionic liquid) for Cr(VI) analysis.•The electrode shows high selectivity and sensitivity for Cr(VI).•The sorbent is easily renewed by placing or removing a magnet in the wall-jet cell.
The burden of foodborne illness has a negative effect on public health, but also in countries' economy. Melissa officinalis is an aromatic plant known for its biological properties, including ...antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. This work highlighted M. officinalis essential oil's antioxidant potential and antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes, presenting a bactericidal action and being able to inhibit some virulence attributes, such as biofilm formation. The pre-exposure of the bacterium to subinhibitory levels of essential oil (0.125 μL/mL) did not induce high tolerance to stresses (such as high temperature, low pH, osmotic stress and desiccation) or cross-resistance with antibiotics, while not modifying the invasion ability to Caco-2 cells. When applied in food model media (lettuce, chicken and milk) and watermelon juice, the essential oil showed to have antimicrobial activity in a lettuce leaf model medium, further diminishing L. monocytogenes contamination and inhibiting the natural microbiota present in watermelon juice. M. officinalis essential oil shows potential to be used as control of L. monocytogenes in watermelon juice, while increasing the food's microbial shelf life.
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•Melissa officinalis essential oil had strong antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes.•Quorum sensing and biofilm formation were inhibited by MOEO.•MOEO did not induce higher tolerance to stresses, cross-resistance or virulence.•MOEO had strong activity against L. monocytogenes in vegetable food models.•MOEO inhibited the growth of watermelon juice's natural microbiota.
Nucleic acid technologies with designed intracellular delivery systems are some of the most promising therapies of the future. Small interfering (si)RNAs inhibit gene expression and protein synthesis ...and may complement current vaccines with faster design and production. Although successful delivery remains an issue, delivery peptides may help to fill this gap. Here, we address this issue by applying bioinformatic approaches to design new putative cell delivery peptides and siRNAs for COVID-19 variants and other related viral diseases. Of the 29,880 RNA sequences analyzed, 62 were identified in silico as able to target the virus mRNA sequence, and from the 9,984 peptide sequences analyzed, 10 were selected as delivery peptides. From the latter, we further performed in vitro studies of the two best-ranked peptides and compared them with the broadly used TAT delivery peptide. One of them, seq5, displayed better internalization results with about double intensity signal compared to TAT after a 1 h incubation time in GFP-HeLa cells. This peptide has, thus, the features of a delivery peptide and could be used for cargo intracellular delivery.
α-Amanitin plays a key role in
Amanita phalloides
intoxications. The liver is a major target of α-amanitin toxicity, and while RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) transcription inhibition is a ...well-acknowledged mechanism of α-amanitin toxicity, other possible toxicological pathways remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to assess the mechanisms of α-amanitin hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells. The putative protective effects of postulated antidotes were also tested in this cell model and in permeabilized HeLa cells. α-Amanitin (0.1–20 µM) displayed time- and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity, when evaluated through the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction and neutral red uptake assays. Additionally, α-amanitin decreased nascent RNA synthesis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. While α-amanitin did not induce changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, it caused a significant increase in intracellular ATP levels, which was not prevented by incubation with oligomycin, an ATP synthetase inhibitor. Concerning the cell redox status, α-amanitin did not increase reactive species production, but caused a significant increase in total and reduced glutathione, which was abolished by pre-incubation with the inhibitor of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthase, buthionine sulfoximine. None of the tested antidotes
N
-acetyl cysteine, silibinin, benzylpenicillin, and polymyxin B (PolB) conferred any protection against α-amanitin-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells or reversed the inhibition of nascent RNA caused by the toxin in permeabilized HeLa cells. Still, PolB interfered with RNA Pol II activity at high concentrations, though not impacting on α-amanitin observed cytotoxicity. New hepatotoxic mechanisms of α-amanitin were described herein, but the lack of protection observed in clinically used antidotes may reflect the lack of knowledge on their true protection mechanisms and may explain their relatively low clinical efficacy.
In recent years, new strategies for bacteria determination have been developed in order to achieve rapid detection and adequate limits of detection for quantification of microorganisms. This review ...classifies voltammetric sensors according to whether the bacteria are directly or indirectly detected. Direct methods are based on the recognition of the bacteria themselves, either in labeled or label-free mode. In contrast, indirect methods detect a metabolite produced by the bacteria. New trends in bacteria sensors involve DNA analysis, which makes it possible to improve the sensitivity and specificity of measurements. Voltammetric sensors provide good linear ranges and low limits of detection and are useful for analysis of food and clinical and environmental samples.
In this work a simple and novel procedure for leucomalachite green determination based on micro flow injection analysis (μFIA) with amperometric detection is presented. The method involves the use of ...henequen modified fibers as microfluidic channels. The μFIA system proposed offers a simple, rapid, and low-cost alternative for the determination. Capillary and gravitational forces across the modified henequen fibers control the flow rate, eliminating the need for external pumps. This technique requires low reagent consumption and allows portability for
in situ
measurements. The flow system is described, and the operational variables were studied and optimized using a Taguchi parameters design to increase analytical sensitivity. Under optimal conditions a limit of detection of 1.16 μg kg
−1
was achieved with adequate repeatability and reproducibility (expressed as %RSD <5.0%,
n
= 3,
n
= 9 respectively) in all cases. The effect of interfering species and the accuracy of the method were also investigated. The proposed methodology was validated and applied to determine LMG in tilapia muscle samples.
In this work a simple and novel procedure for leucomalachite green determination based on micro flow injection analysis (μFIA) with amperometric detection is presented.
The increased resistance to drugs by pathogens is a serious problem, with plants showing to be promising sources for the development of new drugs or the improvement of the effect of existing ...antimicrobial agents. Considering this, we aimed to evaluate the bioactivities of
Arbutus unedo
and
Crataegus monogyna
. Thus, the leaves were first extracted with methanol and then fractionated with different solvents. Phenolic compound profiles were assessed by HPLC-PDA–MS
n
and the antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH method and β-carotene bleaching assay. The antimicrobial activity of extracts was tested against several microorganisms.
A. unedo
contained mainly galloyl esters, hydrolysable tannins, and flavonoids, while in
C. monogyna
, 5-caffeoylquinic acid and flavonoids were the most representative polyphenols. Crude extracts showed antioxidant activity and the extracts and fractions displayed a weak antibacterial activity; however inhibiting the growth of
Candida tropicalis
and
C. lusitaniae
to which
A. unedo
extract showed higher activity. Most of the extracts and fractions demonstrated synergistic or additive interactions with amphotericin B against
Candida
spp. Therefore, the present study revealed significant bioactive properties of the extracts and fractions of
A. unedo
and
C. monogyna
, such as antioxidant and antifungal activities.
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