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Objective: To evaluate the anticancer potential of Cymbopogon citratus extract. Methods: GC-MS analysis was used to identify phytocomponents in the methanolic extract of Cymbopogon citratus. A fractionation method was employed to isolate and assess the bioactivity of different fractions and their cytotoxic activities against cancer cell lines HCT116, LoVo, Caco-2, and HT-29 were investigated. A dual staining method with acridine orange and ethidium bromide was used to assess the effect of the extract on cell apoptosis. Additionally, the expression levels of Bax and TP53 were quantified using realtime PCR in Caco-2 cells treated with the ethyl acetate fraction of Cymbopogon citratus extract. A protein array was employed to profile key pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins in Caco-2 cells. Moreover, molecular docking studies were conducted to investigate the interactions between key compounds of Cymbopogon citratus extract and specific apoptosis-related protein domains (PDB IDs: 7wql and 4bkx). Results: A significant growth inhibition was observed in Caco-2 cells treated with Cymbopogon citratus extract. Among the seven fractions of the plant extract, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest cytotoxicity against Caco-2 cells with an IC50 value of (6.16 ± 0.01) μg/mL. The immunofluorescence assay showed that the ethyl acetate fraction could induce apoptosis of Caco-2 cells. Moreover, the fraction upregulated the gene expressions of Bax and TP53 in a dose-dependent manner. The docking analysis demonstrated the interaction of five compounds isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction with key proteins in Caco-2 cells, indicating their anticancer properties. Conclusions: Cymbopogon citratus extract shows anticancer activity against Caco-2 cells by inducing apoptosis. It may be a promising candidate for the treatment of colon cancer, which needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a widely used chemical that can harm the human body, including the reproductive system. BPA accumulates in the body and is found in 95 % of individuals due to everyday exposure through food, water, and skin absorption. BPA can impair female fertility by interfering with ovarian folliculogenesis, inhibiting follicular growth, and inducing atresia, leading to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a prevalent endocrine disorder that affects many reproductive-aged women. While current treatments can help manage symptoms, they do not entirely prevent complications. Luteolin, a natural flavonoid with medicinal properties, is commonly used to treat metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Therefore, we evaluated Luteolin's properties against PCOS in Network pharmacology and molecular docking studies; further, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in protecting the Chinese Hamster ovarian (CHO) cells from Reactive Oxygen Species, cellular damage, and negative mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated. Additionally, an in-vivo PCOS-like model was developed using zebrafish, and the localization of Luteolin was identified using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). Luteolin protected the CHO cells from cellular damage, ROS, and negative mitochondrial membrane potential. Luteolin alleviated the total SOD levels in the Zebrafish ovary, induced follicular maturation, and altered the key genes in ovarian proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β expression. Natural Phyto-oxidants such as Luteolin may protect follicular development and early PCOS in adult zebrafish to prevent oxidative stress and inflammation. This study suggests using Luteolin as a phytomedicine to alleviate ovarian function decline. • Luteolin against Bisphenol-A (BPA) damaged in-vivo zebrafish reproductive system. • Luteolin exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammation, safeguarding CHO cells. • Luteolin promoted follicular maturation in in-vivo zebrafish • Luteolin modulates cytokines in an in-vivo PCOS-zebrafish. • Luteolin could be utilized as a natural phytomedicine to protect early PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannases are a family of esterases that catalyze the hydrolysis of ester and depside bonds of hydrolyzable tannins to release small compounds such as glucose. In this work, tannase production from Bacillus cereus strain KMS3-1 was purified and characterized. The standard methods, such as ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by gel filtration chromatography, were used to purify the enzyme tannase from KMS3-1. With 40% enzyme recovery, the purification process yielded a 1.93-fold increase in specific activity. Analysis using SDS-PAGE confirmed a molecular weight of about 40 kDa. Circular dichroism analysis revealed the secondary structure composition α-helix (12.03%), indicating a dominant role of β-turns (38.4%). A pH of 6.0 and a temperature between 50 and 60 °C were ideal for enzyme activity. Tannic acid has an enzyme K m value of 3.0 x 10−3 M and a V max of 4.45 U/mL. Surfactants, metal ions, organic solvents, and inhibitors significantly influence the enzyme activity. Cytotoxicity assays revealed the non-toxic nature of the purified enzyme on Vero cells and rat animal models. These results explore and contribute to a better understanding of tannase enzyme properties and their potential applications in the food and beverage industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follicular maturation arrest is a prevalent endocrine disorder characterized by hormonal imbalance, ovarian dysfunction, and metabolic disturbances leading to Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Tanshinone IIA (TIIA), a bioactive compound derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza , has shown promising therapeutic potential in various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. However, its effects on reproductive health and gynecological disorders, particularly PCOS, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of TIIA on ovarian function. Using a combination of experimental and computational approaches, we elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying TIIA's pharmacological impact on ovarian function, follicular development, and androgen receptor signaling. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that TIIA interacts with the human androgen receptor (HAR), modulating its activity and downstream signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate that TIIA treatment alleviates PCOS-like symptoms in a zebrafish model, including improved follicular development, lowered GSI index, improved antioxidant status (SOD, CAT), decreased LDH levels, and enhanced AChE levels by regulating Tox3 and Dennd1a pathway. Our findings suggest that TIIA may hold promise as a novel therapeutic agent for the management of PCOS or ovulation induction. • Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) binds to human androgen receptor via molecular dynamics. • TIIA protects ovary of zebrafish against Bisphenol A-induced damage. • TIIA inhibits follicular maturation arrest and alleviates PCOS like zebrafish. • TIIA may hold promise as a novel therapeutic agent for the management of PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism plays a fundamental role in susceptibility to various diseases, including cancers and autoimmune diseases. In the current study, we aimed to compare genotype and allele frequency variations of rs1801131, one of the most common variants found in the MTHFR gene, among Saudi smokers and non-smokers. We hypothesized that genetic variations of this gene are responsible for many diseases, particularly those caused by cigarette smoking (CS) such as pulmonary diseases, oral cancer and lung cancer. We performed a case-control study on a sample of 235 healthy smokers and 239 healthy non-smokers in Saudi Arabia. The rs1801131 SNP genotypes were determined using a genotyping assay and multiple in silico algorithmic software programs were used to identify the effects and structural functions of the rs1801131 (Glu429Ala) mutation. Using chi-squared tests, we found that, among smokers, TG and GG genotype carriers had 0.209-fold (OR = 0.209, P < 0.005) and 0.427-fold (OR = 0.427, P = 0.003) lower risks of CS-related disease compared to TT reference genotypes. In addition, this protective effect was observed in Saudi smokers independent of age, gender, types of smoking, duration, and average daily smoking consumption. Filling a research gap by exploring this topic in the Saudi population, the current findings indicate that genotype and allele distributions of MTHFR rs1801131 polymorphism present fundamental protective effects against the risk of CS-related disease. These findings should be verified in future studies with larger sample sizes, different ethnicities, and patients suffering from CS-related diseases, such as oral cancer and lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) are environmental pollutants that induce oxidative stress (OS) in multiple organs particularly, liver. Sinensetin (SNS) is a naturally present flavones that shows diverse pharmaceutical properties i.e., anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic role of SNS against PS-NPs induced hepatotoxicity. 48 rats were distributed into 4 groups i.e., control, PS-NPs (50 µgkg−1) treated, PS-NPs + SNS (50 µgkg−1 + 20 mgkg−1) co-treated and only SNS (20 mgkg−1) treated group. PS-NPs intoxication reduced the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidases (GPx) glutathione reductase (GSR) and glutathione (GSH) level, whereas increased the levels of ROS and MDA. Additionally, PS-NPs increased the levels of liver serum marker enzymes i.e., alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Moreover, the level of inflammatory makers such as nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity were increased following the PS-NPS exposure. The intoxication of PS-NPs elevated Caspase-3, Bax and Caspase-9 levels, while reducing the Bcl-2 level. Furthermore, the exposure of PS-NPs induced significant histopathological damages in hepatic tissue of rats. However, the supplementation of SNS considerably improved the PS-NPs induced damages as well as histological changes due to its hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent metabolic and endocrine disorder that affects women globally. This research was planned to evaluate the curative effects of nobiletin (NOB) on biochemical, metabolic, androgenic as well as histological parameters of PCOS induced rats. 24 female albino rats were divided into 4 equal groups: Group-I served as control. Group-II was treated with letrozole (1 mg/kg) (dissolved in 0.5 % CMC) for 21 days, for the induction of PCOs. Group III received letrozole (1 mg/kg) and metformin (2 mg/100 g) for 21 days. Group-IV received letrozole 1 mg/kg and NOB 10 mg/kg for 21 days. Testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, triglycerides, antioxidants (CAT, SOD, GSR, GPx, GST, GSH,), reactive oxygen species, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, glucose, cholesterol level (HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, Non-HDL-C) as well as histopathological analysis of ovaries were performed. However, nobiletin treatment demonstrated beneficial effects by lowering testosterone levels, glucose levels, cysts, and improving estradiol and progesterone level as well as number of follicles and corpus luteum in PCOS rats. Furthermore, dysregulated lipid as well as anti-oxidant profiles in PCOS rats were reverted to the normal level. The current investigation demonstrated that NOB shows the ability to mitigate the irregularities associated with PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraquat (PQ) is an effective herbicide however, due to its adverse effects on different organs including heart, it is considered as highly toxic to human beings. Kaempferide (KMF) is a plant-based flavonoid with conspicuous pharmacological properties. This experiment was executed to evaluate the palliative actions of KMF on PQ prompted cardiac toxicity in rats. Twenty-four rats were apportioned into 4 equal groups which were designated as control, toxicant (PQ treated), Co-treated (PQ + KMF) and KMF group. After 30 days of treatment, PQ intoxication resulted in a remarkable reduction in antioxidant enzymes activities which include, glutathione reductase (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione disulfide reductase (GSR), whereas an elevation was observed in reactive oxygen species (ROS), & malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) level. Furthermore, concentrations of cardiac injury markers, creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), creatine kinase-myoglobin binding (CK-MB), & lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as troponin I were increased in response to PQ treatment. Moreover, inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (lL-1β), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels were augmented in PQ intoxicated group. PQ exposure reduced the gene expression of cardiac anti-apoptotic markers (Bcl-2), but the gene expression of apoptotic marker (caspase-9, caspase-3 and Bax) was increased. Histopathological damages were also observed in toxicant (PQ) exposed group. However, the administration of KMF significantly palliated PQ induced aforementioned disruptions. In the light of these findings, it is concluded that KMF is a promising bioactive compound that may be used as a curative agent against PQ instigated cardiac damage due to its marvelous antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory as well as cardioprotective potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Ficus racemosa has long been used as a treatment for bacterial and fungal infections by people in India. The search for a safe alternative therapy from plant resources has gained interest in recent years due to herb's more central place in contemporary medicine and their status as a vast global reservoir of potentially active pharmaceuticals. Using standard methods, we aim to evaluate the pharmacological and bioactive potential of F. racemosa compounds extracted from fruits. Our observation reveals that stigmasterol has the highest docking score across all targets, making it the most promising chemical overall. According to Lipinski's rule of thumb, the obtained compounds derived from F. racemosa were predicted to have high bioactivities, giving them a high drug-likeliness score. Target and compound docking scores provide insight into binding posture and critical amino acid residues in antibacterial and antifungal activity. This research confirms that F. racemosa fruit extract is effective against fungal infections. These findings will aid biochemists in their quest to produce effective phytochemicals by further testing multi-targeting drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and fertilization of germ cells require the identification and characterization of their unique genes. Because the processes that take place in male germ cells are unique; that is, they do not occur in any other tissue. The testis is a specialized male gonad with complicated gene expressions for spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. RT-PCR analysis was performed to determine whether the candidate genes selected from the NCBI database are true genes with testis-specific expressions in mice. In total, 20 testis-specific genes were selected randomly and examined in 15 adult mouse tissue samples, including the testis. The expression profiles of the 20 selected genes in the 15 mouse tissue samples showed 3 expression categories: ubiquitously expressed genes, which were detected in all types of mouse tissues; the testis-predominant genes, which were not detected in all mouse tissue samples, were strongly expressed in the testis and weakly expressed in a few types mouse tissue; and the testis-specific genes, which were exclusively expressed in the mouse testis, were not observed in non-testicular tissues. Of the 20 characterized genes, the testis-specific genes include Adad1 , Dmrtc2 , Luzp4 , Prm2 , Prss54 , and Syce1 , which may play a role in meiosis and/or spermatogenesis. Therefore, further research is required to elucidate the functional importance of these identified testis-specific genes in mouse male fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin (CP) is a top-notch anti-cancerous agent that is used during the treatments of various types of tumors. Tamarixetin (TM) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound with versatile therapeutic and pharmacological abilities. The current investigation was purposed to elucidate the antagonistic effects of TM against CP-prompted renal intoxication. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 48) were separated into 4 equal groups i.e., Group 1st was designated as control group while the 2nd group was treated with CP (10 mg/kg) only, group 3rd received CP (10 mg/kg) + TM (50 mg/kg) and designated as a co-treated group while group 4th was administered with TM (50 mg/kg) only. Our results revealed that treatment of CP reduced the activity of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-disulfide reductase (GSR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) as well as glutathione (GSH) while elevate ROS and MDA levels. CP administration raised the level of urea, creatinine, KIM1 along with NGAL while significant reduction in creatinine clearance. Whereas, CP treatment substantially elevated the level of caspase-3, caspase- 9 and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) while reducing the level of B cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl-2). CP administration significantly elevated the concentration of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) as well as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and instigated histopathological damages in renal tissues. However, Co-treatment of CP + TM showed palliative effects against CP-induced impairments. The current study manifested that TM is a potential flavonoid that could be used as a therapeutic drug to ameliorate renal damages instigated by CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glabridin (GB) is a natural dietary flavonoid of plant origin with excellent antioxidant properties. Gentamicin (GM) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that can potentially cause renal toxicity. This investigation was intended to elucidate the attenuative effects of GB against GM-instigated nephrotoxicity. The entire experiment was carried out for a week on adult male albino rats (n = 24), which were randomly separated into 4 comparable groups that included Group I (0.9% physiological saline), group II (80 mg/kg of GM i.p.), group III (80 mg/kg; 50 mg/kg of GM + GB respectively), and group IV (50 mg/kg of GB orally). Biochemical analysis of antioxidant enzymes i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GSR), Glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level, renal serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as well as kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) along with urinary profile (Albumin, creatinine, urea, urinary protein, urobilinogen, and creatinine clearance), inflammatory markers (nuclear factor (NF)-κB, interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 as well as cyclo -oxygenase (COX)-2), apoptotic markers (Bax, Caspase-3 as well as Caspase-9), anti-apoptotic markers (Bcl-2) as well as histopathology of renal tissues, were analyzed. GM significantly reduced antioxidant enzymes activity, on the other hand, GM treatment substantially elevated the concentration of ROS, H 2 O 2 , TBARS, as well as induced abnormality in renal serum markers and urine profile, inflammatory markers, pro-apoptotic markers whereas, declined the level of anti-apoptotic markers and induced substantial histopathological damages. However, GB treatment potentially alleviated damages caused by GM. Conclusively, the intriguing outcomes of the investigation propose that GB effectively protects against GM-prompted nephrotoxicity, which may indicate its anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic as well as anti-inflammatory potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chillies (Capsicum annuum) are a spice crop with great medicinal value of its biochemical ingredients. Its high antioxidant value along with good nutritional properties. Foliar application of Salicylic Acid may stimulate various plant physiological parameter i.e., stomatal activity, ions uptake, seed germination, leave membrane response to electrolytes and growth rate. Salicylic Acid (SA) is known as a molecule that is participated in physiological processes in chillies, plant tolerance and resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Ascorbic acid possesses antioxidant properties, has positive impact on flowering and expounds effective plant defense system against pesticide toxicity. Moreover, ascorbic acid is effective chemical to mitigate the destructive impacts of salt stress. All the treatments improved the yield, fruit length and fruit width as compared to control treatment. Although, various treatments, salicylic acid and ascorbic acid combination showed the maximum plant height (80.3 cm), shoot weight (161 g), root weight (47.1 g) and pericarp thickness (1.99 mm) in treatment T9 variety of V4. Results declared that foliar spray of plants growth regulators increased the carbohydrates, protein, fiber and ash content. Results declared that foliar spray of plants growth regulators increased the carbohydrates, protein, fiber and ash contents. Furthermore, Biochemical attributes and Enzymes like proline (19.1%), SOD (1.40ug-1Fw), POD (17.9 ug-1Fw g) and CAT (6.15ug-1Fw) were significantly improved in plants sprayed with salicylic acid (SA) and ascorbic acid (AA) at T9 treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of ascorbic acid and salicylic acid on the yield and biochemical traits of hybrid chillies. Generally, the highest values were obtained from T9 treatment application of SA and AA combination. Based on these findings, the SA and AA treatments may help alleviate the positive effect on the growth of Chillies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garra tibanica is ray-finned freshwater fish belonging to the cyprinid. Previous studies have reported that this specie is a native fish species found in Saudi Arabia. However, this specie was never been assessed using molecular markers to find out its phylogenetic relationship with other species in the area. This study investigates the genetic diversity between of the Garra tibanica collected from Medina province, Saudi Arabia based on phylogenetic analysis using the cytochrome b gene. The phylogenetic tree constructed from the cytochrome b sequence indicates that Garra tibanica is more closely related to Garra sahilia and Garra sharq than Garra rufa, Garra gymnothorax , which may reflect the allopatric speciation of Garra according to their existence in nearby geographic regions. To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe the species of Garra in Saudi Arabia based on phylogenetic analysis using the cytochrome b gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between diltiazem hydrochloride (DTZ) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was probed by fluorescence, UV–vis absorption, Fourier transform infrared, circular dichroism spectroscopies and molecular docking analysis at pH = 7.4. The decrease in Stern-Volmer quenching constants with rising temperature illustrated the static nature of fluorescence quenching. The distance between DTZ and BSA was evaluated and found to be 1.40 nm. The thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG, ΔH and ΔS were computed which illustrated the spontaneous and endothermic nature of binding of DTZ with BSA. Molecular docking evaluation indicated that DTZ fits into the binding pocket of subdomain I-B (site III). A spectrofluorimetric method was developed based on fluorescence quenching of BSA by DTZ to quantify diltiazem in tablets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colon cancer (CC) is a more frequent cancer type among men and is the third one among women. Cancer testis (CT) genes are classically expressed in the testes during postnatal life. However, they may be abnormally expressed in several types of cancers. The general purpose of this study was to look at the expressions of MAGE-A family genes, an example of the CT gene, in several patients with CC to evaluate whether they may be used as cancer biomarkers in the early stages of cancer identification and improve treatment options. In this study, MAGE-A family genes were examined using RT-PCR in 10 matching CC and normal colon (NC) samples. Also, the influence of DNA demethylation on the expression status of MAGE-A genes was assessed by treating the human CC cell lines with different doses of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 µM) for 48 or 72 h. All MAGE-A family gene results had faint bands in different samples of NC tissues, except for MAGE-A1. MAGE-A2 , MAGE-A3 , MAGE-A4 , MAGE-A6 , MAGE-A8 , MAGE-A9 , MAGE-A10 , MAGE-A11 , and MAGE-A12 genes were observed in 20 %, 60 %, 50 %, 80 %, 90 %, 60 %, 40 %, 30 %, and 40 % of the NC samples, respectively. However, they had strong bands in multiple samples of CC tissues with 80 %, 70 %, 60 %, 100 %, 100 %, 80 %, 60 %, 30 %, and 70 % of CC samples, respectively. Interestingly, MAGE-A1 was detected in 50 % of CC tissues but not in NC tissues, making this gene a suitable potential biomarker for early CC diagnosis. No expression of MAGE-A1 was detected in the Caco-2 cells after 48 h of treatment. However, the MAGE-A1 gene had faint bands after treatment of Caco-2 cells with 1–10 µM of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine for 72 h. In HCT116 cells, the MAGE-A1 gene had faint bands after 48 h and moderate-intensity bands 72 h after treating cells with 1–10 µM of -aza-2′-deoxycytidine. MAGE-A3 and MAGE-A4 were expressed after treating the Caco-2 cells with 1–10 µM 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine for 48 or 72 h. Further protein-level tests and a larger cohort of patients are needed to assess this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annona squamosa L. is an important medicinal plant used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Different parts of A. squamosa L. have various therapeutic effects; however, the anticancer activity of the leaves has not yet been identified. In vitro, MTT, nuclear staining, and LDH assays were used to evaluate cell survival and proliferation in cells exposed to the extracts. The effect of the extracts on cell migration was investigated using a monolayer wound repair assay, and the apoptotic effects were evaluated using flow cytometry. A breast cancer model was used to study the effect of the extract on the tumor size, and the expression of different proliferative and apoptotic markers was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. At a concentration of 100 µg/mL, A. squamosa leaf extracts exerted strong antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects against various cell lines. The extracts reduced wound closure and strongly induced apoptosis. In vivo study, rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last injection, and tumor size, as well as the expression of proliferative and apoptotic markers, were observed to be greatly affected by treatment with the extracts. Therefore, A. squamosa leaf extract may be developed as a potential novel drug to treat breast cancer in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several forms of bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have been reported as having industrial and medical benefits. Previously, our group had achieved a high yield of EPS production (8.6 gm/L) from Enterobacter sp. isolated from the marine environment of Haqel Beach, in the Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia, by optimizing its culture conditions. Then, the strain selected was identified using conventional methods and confirmed by molecular characterization that used 16S Ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing. In the present study, we determined the composition of this EPS and evaluated its anticoagulation, fibrinolytic, antimicrobial, and prebiotic activities. We determined the monosaccharide moieties of this EPS using acid hydrolysis by qualitative and quantitative paper chromatography (PC). The monosaccharide composition of this EPS was almost 25% glucose, 25% galactose, 40% fucose, in addition to 10% uronic acid, with traces of fructose. Sulfation modification was applied to the EPS produced. The biological and microbiological (anticoagulation, fibrinolytic, antimicrobial, and prebiotic) activities of both the native and sulfated EPS were investigated and both exhibited higher antibacterial activity against Staphyllococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , although neither form displayed antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the native and sulfated EPS that sustained the highest bacterial inhibition zone was 15 mg/dl. No prebiotic activities were recorded for either EPS. In conclusion, the biopolymer produced has significant biological activities that require further adaptation for practical and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial interest has emerged on the use of marine microorganisms as producers of important macromolecules such as exopolysaccharides (EPSs), to apply them in areas including the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, as well as other important sectors. In this study, thirty seven marine bacterial isolates were isolated from Haqel Beach in Tabuk region, Saudi Arabia. We found that only nine isolates have the ability to produce extracellular polysaccharides in medium. We selected the best producer and characterized it morphologically, biochemically, and molecularly using 16S rRNA analysis, revealing it to be Enterobacter sp. We also optimized the culture fermentation conditions to obtain the highest EPS yield. Our results showed that the optimal medium conditions were as follows: 15% sucrose, 0.5% peptone, presence of all fermentation medium salts, pH 7.5–8.0, incubation temperature 37 °C, and shaking at 150 rpm for 72 h, which conferred the highest EPS yield of 8.6 g/l. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]