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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common malignancy and the third primary cause of cancer-related mortalities caused by unhealthy diet, hectic lifestyle, and genetic damage. People aged ≥ 50 are more at risk for CRC. Nowadays, bioactive compounds from plants have been widely studied in preventing CRC because of their anticancer and antioxidant properties. Herein, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was used to extract the bioactive compounds of Pluchea indica (L.) leaves. The resultant total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of P. indica (L.) leaves were analyzed using a response surface methodology (RSM). The central composite design was implemented to evaluate the amplitude (10 %–70 %) and treatment time (2–10 min) on both responses, i.e., TPC and TFC of P. indica (L.) leaves. The optimum UAE conditions were observed 40 % amplitude and 6 min of treatment, where the TPC and TFC were 3.26 ± 0.00 mg GAE/g d.w. and 67.58 ± 1.46 mg QE/g d.w., respectively. The optimum P. indica (L.) leaf extract was then screened for its cytotoxicity on the HT-29 colorectal cancer cell line. This extract had strong cytotoxicity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration value (IC50) of 12 µg/mL. The phytochemical screening of bioactive compounds revealed that the optimal P. indica (L.) leaf extract contains flavonoids, namely, kaempferol 3-[2′'',3′'',5′''-triacetyl]-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1->6)-glucoside, myricetin 3-glucoside-7-galactoside, quercetin 3-(3′'-sulfatoglucoside), and kaempferol 7,4′-dimethyl ether 3-O-sulfate, which could be good sources for promising anticancer agents. This study employs the RSM approach to utilize UAE for bioactive compounds extraction of P. indica (L.) leaves, identified the specific compounds present in the optimized extract and revealed its potential in preventing CRC.

Objective(s): Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been considered promising non-invasive imaging tools in medicine. However, their high surface energy leads to NPs aggregation, while non-targeted SPIONs can cause cytotoxic effects on normal cells. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro potential of polyethyleneimine (PEI)-SPIONs targeted by PNC27 peptide as a double targeting agent throughout early cancer diagnosis.Materials and Methods: Initially, PEI was conjugated to PNC27 with HDM-2-binding domain. Then, SPIONs were loaded into PEI-PNC27 through the ligand exchange method. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized NPs were evaluated. The cytotoxicity and targeting efficiency were assayed against HT-29 and CT-26 cell lines along with NIH-3t3 as normal cells by MTT method and Prussian blue staining test, respectively. Results: The mean diameter of synthesized carriers was obtained in the range of 86.6 – 116.1 nm with a positive charge. According to the cytotoxicity results, the binding and uptake abilities of the PNC27 peptide by cancer cells were significantly higher than that of the NIH-3t3 cells. However, the results were indicative of the more toxic impacts of targeted synthesized NPs against CT-26 cancer cell line when being compared with HT-29 cells, which may be caused by the different cytotoxicity mechanisms of NPs. In addition, the targeted carriers and SPIONs were present inside and around the cells with HDM-2 expression along with only a few non-targeted vectors, while displaying no appearance throughout the normal cell.Conclusion: The results indicated the efficiency of targeted PEI-coated SPIONs for cancer diagnostic applications.

The incorporation of graphene with metal oxide has been widely explored in various fields, including energy storage devices, optical applications, biomedical applications, and water remediation. This research aimed to assess the impact of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) doping on the photocatalytic and anticancer properties of In2O3 nanoparticles. Pure and In2O3/RGO nanocomposites were effectively synthesized using the single-step microwave hydrothermal process. XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, XPS, Raman, UV–Vis, and PL spectroscopy were carefully utilized to characterize the prepared samples. XRD data showed that synthesized In2O3 nanoparticles had high crystallinity with a decreased crystal size after RGO doping. TEM and SEM images revealed that the In2O3 NPs were spherical and uniformly embedded onto the surface of RGO sheets. Elemental analysis of In2O3/RGO NC confirmed the presence of In, O, and C without impurities. Raman analysis indicated the successful fabrication of In2O3 onto the RGO surface. Uv–Vis analysis showed that the band gap energy was changed with RGO addition. Raman spectra confirmed that In2O3 nanoparticles were successfully anchored onto the RGO sheet. PL results indicated that the prepared In2O3/RGO NCs can be applied to enhance photocatalytic activity and biomedical applications. In the degradation experiment, In2O3/RGO NCs exhibited superior photocatalytic activity compared to that of pure In2O3. The degradation efficiency of In2O3/RGO NCs for MB dye was up to 90%. Biological data revealed that the cytotoxicity effect of In2O3/RGO NCs was higher than In2O3 NPs in human colorectal (HCT116) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells. Importantly, the In2O3/RGO NCs exhibited better biocompatibility against human normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). All the results suggest that RGO addition improves the photocatalytic and anticancer activity of In2O3 NPs. This study highlights the potential of In2O3/RGO NCs as an efficient photocatalyst and therapeutic material for water remediation and biomedicine.

In recent years, green synthesis of nanoparticles has been the cornerstone of development of nanotechnology and its applications, as it emphasizes on promoting environmental sustainability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential health benefits of the green-synthesized titanium nanoparticles (TiO2NPs). TiO2NPs were synthesized using titanium(iv) isopropoxide and lupin bean extract. The synthesized particles were characterized to assess the average particle size by dynamic light scattering, and X-ray diffraction method was used to study the crystalline nature. The average particle size recorded was 9.227 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.382. The morphology of the particles was assessed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy which showed varied shapes of the nanoparticles, uniform spherical and crystallite rod shaped. Further, the cytotoxic efficacy of the nanoparticles was assessed against the breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromidefor (MTT) assay. The antibacterial activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated against clinical pathogens via the disc diffusion assay. The key findings showed that the TiO2NPs exhibited potent cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 cell line with an IC50 of 41.1 µg. It also showed profound antibacterial activity. Thus, the synthesized nanoparticles could have potential biomedical applications owing to their therapeutic efficacy.

In this study of anti-cancer activity, the cytotoxicity effect of the silver nanoparticle was shown excellent anti-cancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The IC50 concentration of the synthesized silver nanoparticle against performed MCF-7 breast cancer cells was 1000 µg/ml concentration. Further, the shape modifications in the silver nanoparticle treated MCF-7 cells were viewed by phase contrast microscope and proved after comparison with untreated control. Next, the intracellular proliferation, chromatin condensation, granular membranes cleavage and surface layers damage were effectively seen by fluorescence microscopy using AO/EB fluorescence dyes. The failure of matured nucleus was clearly shown after the treatment of Ag NPs and was effectively proved by fluorescence microscope using Hoechst 33342 stain. Finally, the anti-cancer effect identification through various invitro experiments was clearly favored to performed silver nanoparticle, and suggested that the nanoparticle was very effective against multi drug resistant bacteria, biofilm producing bacteria and cancer cells.

Clostridioides difficile is one of the leading causes of healthcare-associated diarrhea, with severity ranging from mild, self-limiting disease, to life-threatening toxic megacolon. C. difficile infection (CDI) pathogenesis is mediated by the TcdA and TcdB toxins. This work aimed to draw correlations between toxin levels, bacterial strains, and disease severity in 63 CDI patients. C. difficile typing was performed by multi-locus sequence types (MLST). Toxin concentrations were measured using the TOX A/B test. In addition, cell cytotoxicity assay was performed following Vero cell exposure to stool extracts (24 h). The most prevalent sequence types (ST) were ST2, ST4, ST6, ST13, ST37, ST42, and ST104, with highest toxin levels produced by ST42 and ST104 (302.5 and 297.1 ng/ml, respectively). These strains had a stronger cytopathic effect (CPE) on Vero cells as compared to strains with lower toxin concentrations (p < 0.001), as manifested by lower cell counts and higher percentages of cell rounding and adhesion loss. Although no association was found between ST, toxin concentrations, and disease severity, a diverse in vitro effect of different STs on the viability and activity of Vero cells was observed. These findings suggest that disease severity is affected by both host immune responses and by bacterial characteristics.

Abstract In this research, natural nanomaterials including cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), nanofiber cellulose (NFC), and synthetic nanoparticles such as carbon nanofiber (CNF) and carbon nanotube (CNT) with different structures, sizes, and surface areas were produced and analyzed. The most significant contribution of this study is to evaluate and compare these nanomaterials based on the effects of their structures and morphologies on their electrochemical, biomedical, and thermal properties. Based on the obtained results, the natural nanomaterials with low dimension and surface area have zero cytotoxicity effects on the living cells at 12.5 and 3.125 μg/ml concentrations of NFC and CNC, respectively. Meanwhile, synthetic nanomaterials with the high surface area around 15.3–21.1 m2/g and significant thermal stability (480 °C–600 °C) enhance the output of electrode by creating a higher surface area and decreasing the current flow resistance.

Abstract Two mononuclear complexes [ZnII(MAA)(phen)(Cl)] (A) and [CuII(TTA)2] (B) (TTA = 4,4,4-Trifluoro-1-(2-furyl)-1,3-butanedione), (MAA = methyl acetoacetate and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized and fully characterized by UV–Vis and FTIR spectroscopy. In this study, the MKN-45 cell line used for MTT assay. Two complexes exhibited lethal effects against MKN-45 cell lines compared to the untreated control. The IC50 is observed about 1 µg/mL for both complexes. Besides, the migration studies revealed that complex (B) is more active than complex (A) against the MKN-45 cancer cell lines. In morphology assay, it was also found that many of the cells showed cytoplasmic shrinkage and loss of normal nuclear architecture.

Background:Envenomation by Macrovipera lebetina (M. lebetina) is characterized by prominent local tissue damage, hemorrhage, abnormalities in the blood coagulation system, necrosis, and edema. However, the main cause of death after a bite by M. lebetina has been attributed to acute renal failure (ARF). It is unclear whether the venom components have a direct or indirect action in causing ARF. To investigate this point, we looked at the in vitro effect of M. lebetina crude venom, using cultured human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) mono layers as a model. Methods: The effect of M. lebetina snake venom on HEK-293 growth inhibition was determined by the MTT assay and the neutral red uptake assay. The integrity of the cell membrane through LDH release was measured with the Cytotoxicity Detection Kit. Morphological changes in HEK-293 cells were also evaluated using an inverted microscope. Results: In the MTT assay, crude venom showed a significant cytotoxic effect on HEK-293 cells at 24 hours of exposure and was confirmed by the neutral red assay. Also, at 24 hours exposure, crude venom caused a non-significant increase in LDH activity of the culture medium at concentrations above 20 μg/ml. Various morphological abnormalities were observed in cells exposed to the venom and showed loss of their common polygonal shape, appearing as several roughly rounded cells of variable size. The M. lebetina crude venom induced detachment of cells from the plate. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that the Iranian snake M. lebetina venom causes a cytotoxic effect on kidney tissue not by necrotic mechanism but rather by secondary effects, including hypotension, hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which may lead to ARF.

& Objectives: In the recent years, following the increase of drug resistant strain of viruses, there has been an increasing interest in the use of natural substances with antiviral activity with fewer side effects. One of these herbal medicines, Quercqus persica L, has shown some therapeutic effects, such as anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of hydroalcoholic extract of this plant on Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). Materials & Methods: In this interventional study conducted at Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences in 2010, the hydro- alcoholic extract of Quercqus persica L. was prepared using 70% ethanol by the maceration method. Baby Hamster Kidney (BHK) cells were grown in monolayer culture with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum and plated into 48-well culture plates. Fifty percent of cytotoxic concentration (CC50%) of the extract on BHK cells was determined and subsequently, 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50%) of the herbal extract on replication of HSV-1 both in extracellular and interacellular cases were assessed. The statistical data was analyzed by the SPSS software using Probit analysis. Results: Based on Probit analysis, the extract had no cyto-toxicity up to concentration of 200 mg/ml. IC50s of the extract on the virus before cellular attachment and after entering the cells were 1.2 and 0.257 mg/ml, respectively. Based on the model, with the increasing of the extract concentration, the percentage of inhibition of cytopathic effect (CPE) in both of the stages were increased (p