Marine invertebrates have been reported to be an excellent resource of many novel bioactive compounds. Studies reported that Indonesia has remarkable yet underexplored marine natural products, with a ...high chemical diversity and a broad spectrum of biological activities. This review discusses recent updates on the exploration of marine natural products from Indonesian marine invertebrates (i.e., sponges, tunicates, and soft corals) throughout 2007-2020. This paper summarizes the structural diversity and biological function of the bioactive compounds isolated from Indonesian marine invertebrates as antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, and antiviral, while also presenting the opportunity for further investigation of novel compounds derived from Indonesian marine invertebrates.
Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) have increasingly become a focus of interest in recent years. Some of the CVBDs are zoonotic and may therefore also represent a risk for the human population. ...Different factors are in discussion to explain the expansion of vectors and pathogens into formerly unaffected areas. Knowledge of the prevalence and distribution of CVBDs in Bulgaria is scant overall and most data rely on single case descriptions. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of important CVBDs in 167 dogs from central-southern Bulgaria (Stara Zagora), with special emphasis on hitherto uninvestigated babesiosis and angiostrongylosis, on poorly investigated Lyme borreliosis and canine granulocytic anaplasmosis, and on the potentially zoonotic dirofilariosis and leishmaniosis. Relatively high prevalence rates were documented for anti-Babesia canis antibodies, Dirofilaria immitis antigen (16.2 %; 27/167 each), anti-Ehrlichia canis (21 %; 35/167) and anti-Anaplasma phagocytophilum antibodies (30.5 – 46.1 %; 51 – 77/167), while Borrelia burgdorferi seroprevalence was low (2.4 %; 4/167). All samples were negative for Leishmania infantum antibodies and Angiostrongylus vasorum antigen and antibodies. In total, 64.7 % (108/167) of the samples indicated infection or exposure to at least one agent and a high proportion of dual infections (39.8 %; 43/108) was demonstrated. Multiple infections with up to four different organisms were also detected. Our data underline the importance of CVBDs and especially of co-infections which could influence the clinical outcome in dogs.
In the present review, the literature data on the phytochemical and biological investigations on the genus of Abies are summarized with 110 references. Up to now, 277 compounds were isolated from 19 ...plants of Abies species. The chemical constituents are mostly terpenoids, flavonoids, and lignans, together with minor constituents of phenols, steroids, and others. The crude extracts and metabolites have been found to possess various bioactivities including insect juvenile hormone, antitumor, antimicrobial, anti‐ulcerogenic, anti‐inflammatory, antihypertensive, antitussive, and CNS (central nervous system) activities.
Fruit of Schisandra chinensis Turcz. (Baill.) (S. chinensis) is a traditional herbal medicine widely used in China, Korea, and many other east Asian countries. At present, S. chinensis commonly forms ...Chinese medicinal formulae with other herbal medicines to treat liver disease and neurological disease in clinical. Modern researches indicated that lignans were the main active ingredients of S. chinensis with high content and novel dibenzocyclooctadiene skeletal structure, exhibited considerable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Additionally, some of these lignans also showed certain potentials in anti-cancer, anti-fibrosis, and other effects. In the current review, we summarize literature reported lignans from S. chinensis in the past five years, and highlight the molecular mechanisms of lignans in exerting their biological functions. Also, we point out some deficiencies of existing researches and discuss the future direction of lignans study.
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•Lignans are main active ingredients of S. chinensis, a traditional herbal medicine.•S. chinensis is used to treat liver disease and neurological disease in clinical.•Lignans basically show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.•Some lignin monomers from S. chinensis show a certain potential in anti-cancer effect.
•Nanofibrillar chitosan exhibited cross-linked and multi-porous networks.•qmax of heavy metal ions loaded by nanofibrils was much higher than reported chitosan sorbents.•Nanofibrils could be recycled ...at about 80% recovery level after three sorption–desorption cycles.•Cu(II) was the most competitive ions to be chelated by nanofibrils.
Mechanically disassembled chitosan nanofibrils were prepared and used as metal ion chelating agents. Structure and morphology of nanofibrils were investigated and ionic adsorption or desorption performance were validated to establish related fitting models. In single metal ion solution, the saturated adsorption capacities of Cu(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), and Ni(II) were 168.66, 118.00 and 60.85, 143.67, and 63.32mg/g, respectively. In ternary metal ion solution, Cu(II) was more competitive to be adsorbed than Pb(II) and Cd(II) and its removal could arrive at 60%. Ions adsorbed by nanofibrils could be released by EDTA and the recovery could keep above 70% after 3 sorption–desorption cycles. Hence, renewable and recyclable nanofibrillar chitosan exhibited a great promising application in metal treatments attributed to its high adsorption capacity and chelation efficiency.
It is reported in this study the effect of isolates from leaves of Aristotelia chilensis as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and tyrosinase enzymes. The aim of ...the paper was to evaluate the activity of A. chilensis towards different enzymes. In addition to pure compounds, extracts rich in alkaloids and phenolics were tested. The most active F5 inhibited AChE (79.5% and 89.8% at 10.0 and 20.0 μg/mL) and against BChE (89.5% and 97.8% at 10.0 and 20.0 μg/mL), showing a strong mixed-type inhibition against AChE and BChE. F3 (a mixture of flavonoids and phenolics acids), showed IC50 of 90.7 and 59.6 μg/mL of inhibitory activity against AChE and BChE, inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase competitively. Additionally, F3 showed and high potency as tyrosinase inhibitor with IC50 at 8.4 μg/mL. Sample F4 (anthocyanidins and phenolic composition) presented a complex, mixed-type inhibition of tyrosinase with a IC50 of 39.8 μg/mL. The findings in this investigation show that this natural resource has a strong potential for future research in the search of new phytotherapeutic treatments for cholinergic deterioration ailments avoiding the side effects of synthetic drugs. This is the first report as cholinesterases and tyrosinase inhibitors of alkaloids and phenolics from A. chilensis leaves.
•Leaves produced enzyme inhibitors against acetylcholinesterase, Butyrylcholinesterase and tyrosinase.•Purification resulted in the isolation of Aristotelia type monoterpene-indole alkaloids.•Were identified flavonoids and phenolic acids with inhibitory activity against tyrosinase.•The tyrosinase activity was correlated with antioxidant activity.
The electrochemical sensing of new psychoactive substance(s) (NPSs), synthetic cathinone derivatives also termed “legal highs”, are explored with the use of metallic modified screen-printed ...electrochemical sensors (SPES). It is found that no significant electrochemical enhancement is evident with the use of either in situ bismuth or mercury film modified SPES compared to the bare underlying electrode substrate. In fact, the direct electrochemical reduction of the cathinone derivatives mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone; 4-MMC) and 4′-methyl-N-ethylcathinone (4-methylethcathinone; 4-MEC) is found to be possible for the first time, without heavy metal catalysis, giving rise to useful voltammetric electroanalytical signatures in model aqueous buffer solutions. This novel electroanalytical methodology is validated toward the determination of cathinone derivatives (4-MMC and 4-MEC) in three seized street samples that are independently analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) wherein excellent agreement between the two analytical protocols is found. Such an approach provides a validated laboratory tool for the quantification of synthetic cathinone derivatives and holds potential for the basis of a portable analytical sensor for the determination of synthetic cathinone derivatives in seized street samples.
Fish sold at retail markets are often contaminated with harmful bacterial pathogens, posing significant health risks. Despite the growing aquaculture industry in Bangladesh to meet high demand, ...little attention has been paid to ensuring the safety of fish. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of tilapia and pangas fish sold in retail markets across Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Specifically, the study aimed to compare the quality of fish from traditional wet markets and modern supermarkets, as well as fish samples collected during morning and evening hours. A total of 500 raw cut-fish samples (250 tilapia and 250 pangas) were collected at the point of sale from 32 wet markets and 25 supermarkets. All samples were tested for Escherichia coli, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli (ESBL-Ec), along with the foodborne pathogens Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Cryptosporidium spp. Bacterial isolates were characterized using antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST) and the presence of common virulence and antibiotic-resistant genes. Fish samples from retail markets had higher prevalence of tested bacteria including E. coli (92 %), V. cholerae (62 %), ESBL-Ec (48 %), and Salmonella spp. (24 %). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of E. coli (97 % vs. 71 %), ESBL-Ec (58 % vs. 8 %) and Salmonella spp. (28 % vs. 8 %) on the wet market samples compared to supermarket samples (p < 0.005). The mean concentration of E. coli on fish from the wet market was 3.0 ± 0.9 log10 CFU/g, while that from supermarkets was 1.6 ± 0.9 log10 CFU/g. The mean concentration of ESBL-Ec in fish from wet markets and supermarkets were 2.3 ± 0.8 log10 CFU/g and 1.6 ± 0.5 log10 CFU/g, respectively. AST revealed that 46 % of E. coli isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR), while 4 %, 2 % and 5 % of E. coli, Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. isolates, respectively, were resistant to carbapenems. At least 3 % of total E. coli isolates were found to be diarrheagenic, while 40 % of Salmonella isolates harbored pathogenic genes (stn, bcfC, ssaQ, avrA and sodC1), and none of the V. cholerae isolates harbored ctxA and tcpA. Our research shows that raw-cut fish samples from retail markets are contaminated with pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could be a significant food safety concern. Public health interventions should be implemented to improve food safety and hygiene practices in the retail fish markets.
•>90 % tilapia & pangas fish at retail markets in Dhaka tested positive for E. coli.•24 % of fish samples tested positive for Salmonella spp.•50 % of fish tested positive for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli.•Fish samples from wet markets were more contaminated than those from supermarkets.•High-level contamination of raw fish with fecal bacteria is a food safety concern.
species (Malvaceae) have been long used as an antihypertensive folk remedy. The aim of our study was to specify the optimum solvent for extraction of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibiting ...(ACEI) constituents from
L. The 80% methanol extract (H2) showed the highest ACEI activity, which exceeds that of the standard captopril (IC50 0.01255 ± 0.00343 and 0.210 ± 0.005 µg/mL, respectively). Additionally, in a comprehensive metabolomics approach, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to the high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS) method was used to trace the metabolites from each extraction method. Interestingly, our comprehensive analysis showed that the 80% methanol extract was predominated with secondary metabolites from all classes including flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic and organic acids. Among the detected metabolites, phenolic acids such as ferulic and chlorogenic acids, organic acids such as citrate derivatives and flavonoids such as kaempferol have been positively correlated to the antihypertensive potential. These results indicates that these compounds may significantly contribute synergistically to the ACE inhibitory activity of the 80% methanol extract.
The rapid growth of electronic devices, their subsequent obsolescence and disposal has resulted in electronic waste (e-waste) being one of the fastest increasing waste streams worldwide. The main ...component of e-waste is printed circuit boards (PCBs), which contain substantial quantities of precious metals in concentrations significantly higher than those typically found in corresponding ores. The high value and limited reserves of minerals containing these metals makes urban mining of precious metals very attractive. This article is focused on the concentration and recovery of precious metals during pyro-metallurgical recycling of waste PCBs. High temperature pyrolysis was carried out for ten minutes in a horizontal tube furnace in the temperature range 800-1350°C under Argon gas flowing at 1L/min. These temperatures were chosen to lie below and above the melting point (1084.87°C) of copper, the main metal in PCBs, to study the influence of its physical state on the recovery of precious metals. The heat treatment of waste PCBs resulted in two different types of solid products, namely a carbonaceous non-metallic fraction (NMFs) and metallic products, composed of copper rich foils and/or droplets and tin-lead rich droplets and some wires. Significant proportions of Ag, Au, Pd and Pt were found concentrated within two types of metallic phases, with very limited quantities retained by the NMFs. This process was successful in concentrating several precious metals such as Ag, Au, Pd and Pt in a small volume fraction, and reduced volumes for further processing/refinement by up to 75%. The amounts of secondary wastes produced were also minimised to a great extent. The generation of precious metals rich metallic phases demonstrates high temperature pyrolysis as a viable approach towards the recovery of precious metals from e-waste.