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Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based therapy opens a new area for antibiotic-drug free infections treatment. In the present study, chitosan membranes (CS) loaded with two concentrations of copper-MOF 10 mg/20 ml (Cu-MOF10/CS) & 20 mg/20 ml (Cu-MOF20/CS) were prepared by a simple lyophilization procedure. FTIR spectra of Cu-MOF10/CS and Cu-MOF20/CS dressings confirmed absence of any undesirable chemical changes after loading Cu-MOF. The SEM images of the synthesized materials (CS, Cu-MOF10/CS & Cu-MOF20/CS) showed interconnected porous structures. Cytocompatibility of the materials was confirmed by fibroblasts cells culturing and the materials were hemocompatible, with blood clotting index <5 %. Cu-MOF20/CS showed comparatively higher effective antibacterial activity against the tested strains; E. coli (149.2 %), P. aeruginosa (165 %) S. aureus (117.8 %) and MRSA (142 %) as compared to Amikacin, CS and Cu-MOF10/CS membranes. Similarly, Cu-MOF20/CS dressing significantly eradicated the biofilms; P. aeruginosa (37 %) and MRSA (52 %) respectively. In full thickness infected wound rat model, on day 23, Cu-MOF10/CS and Cu-MOF20/CS promoted wound healing up to 87.7 % and 82 % respectively. H&E staining of wounded tissues treated with Cu-MOF10/CS & Cu-MOF20/CS demonstrated enhanced neovascularization and re-epithelization along-with reduced inflammation, while trichrome staining exhibited increased collagen deposition. Overall, this study declares Cu-MOFs loaded chitosan dressings a multifunctional platform for the healing of infected wounds. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.]

Chronic skin wounds and surgical sutures need critical care and fast recovery, robust connection of blood vessels and effective restoration of circulation is necessary in progressive wound healing. Heparin is well known for its' anticoagulant properties, VEGF activation and antithrombosis action. Chitosan aid in the development of the vascular grafts due to its ECM like properties of blood vessels. For electrospinning of Heparin negatively charged and low molecular weight positively charges chitosan, the homogenous solution is required, they precipitate out during mixing due to opposite charges. In the current study, a an efficient strategy is developed for the electrospinning of chitosan and heparin in the presence of lysozyme. The insolubility/non-homogenous solution formation for electrospinning from charged chitosan and heparin fast acting was solved by using a small amount of N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and the resulting solution produced very smooth nanofibers. Polycaprolactone (PCL) was found to be a suitable polymer for the electrospinning of chitosan and heparin using organic and inorganic solvents. Surface morphology of the synthesized fibers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the presence of functional groups was investigated by FTIR. Degradation studies were performed which revealed that lysozyme loaded materials were degraded much faster as compared to other materials. The angiogenic and biocompatible potential of heparin with 1 mg/ml and 4 mg/ml lysozyme concentration was demonstrated by chorionic allantoic membrane (CAM) assay and it was estimated that 1 mg/ml (lysozyme) loaded CS/HA material was found to be an efficient biomaterial to stimulate angiogenesis.

The structural and optoelectronic properties of graphene oxide (GO) bulk material were studied, and conductance and transmittance of GO thin films in absence and presence of AuNPs were optimized for further applications. GO with 0.25 mg/mL and AuNPs (0.5 mL) on GO thin films (0.25 mg/mL) were observed to have highest transmittance of 75% and 72%, respectively, and highest conductance of 7.9x10(3) S and 8.2x10(3) S, respectively. Further, these thin films were utilized as a hole transport layer (HTL) for a prototype inverted perovskite solar cell structure. GO and AuNPs/GO deposited on FTO glass show efficiency of 1.35% and 1.25%, respectively. This decrease in efficiency is associated with the deteriorated crystalline structure of perovskite in the presence of AuNPs and similar HOMO level of AuNPs as of GO, which competes hole transfer.

Our aim was to develop a biocompatible hydrogel that could be soaked in heparin and placed on wound beds to improve the vasculature of poorly vascularized wound beds. In the current study, a methodology was developed for the synthesis of a new chitosan derivative (CSD-1). Hydrogels were synthesized by blending CSD-1 for either 4 or 24 h with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The physical/chemical interactions and the presence of specific functional groups were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The porous nature of the hydrogels was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that these hydrogels have good thermal stability which was slightly increased as the blending time was increased. Hydrogels produced with 24 h of blending supported cell attachment more and could be loaded with heparin to induce new blood vessel formation in a chick chorionic allantoic membrane assay.

Background: Carica papaya is a well known medicinal plant used in the West and Asian countries to cope several diseases. Patients were advised to eat papaya fruit frequently during dengue fever epidemic in Pakistan by physicians. This study was conducted to establish Polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant potential profile of extracts of all major parts of the C. papaya with seven major solvents i.e. water, ethanol, methanol, n-butanol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane. Results: TPC, TFC, antioxidant and antibacterial potential were determined using different aqueous and organic solvents in addition to the determination of trace element in leaves, pulp and peel of C. papaya. Total soluble phenolics and flavonoids were found in promising quantity (≈66 mg GAE/g) especially in case of methanol and ethanol extracts. Antioxidant activity using DPPH free radical scavenging assay indicated leaves, bark, roots and pulp extracts showed >75.0 % scavenging potential while leaves and pulp showed 84.9 and 80.9 % inhibition of peroxidation, respectively. Reducing power assay showed leaves, pulp and roots extracts active to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+ ions. The antibacterial study showed pulp extract is the best to cope infectious action of bacteria. Conclusion: This study was conducted to test the medicinal profile of all parts of C. papaya by extracting secondary metabolites with organic and aqueous solvents. Ethanol and methanol both were found to be the best solvents of choice to extract natural products to get maximum medicinal benefits and could be used to medicinal formulation against different infectious diseases.

The present work describes the selenium-mediated cyclofunctionalisations of alkenes. Three different areas are reported herein. Chapter 2 reports syntheses of several substrates for carbocyclisation reactions and use of selenium and Lewis acids resulting in various dihydronaphthalenes. These dihydronaphthalenes then acted as substrates for second ring forming reactions. This novel tandem double cyclisation comprises a carboannulation, a Friedel-Crafts reaction and a rearrangement. This cascade sequence has been proven to be a useful tool in the selective synthesis of dihydronaphthalenes and benzofluorenes from easily accessible stilbenes and provides fast access to polycyclic ring systems in a single step. Chapter 3 describes electrophilic selenium-mediated reactions which have been used to cyclise a range of /-keto esters to corresponding biaryl compounds under very mild conditions. The products were formed by a carboannulation via addition/elimination sequence and a subsequent rearrangement of range of alkyl and aryl groups. The key starting materials stilbene /-keto esters were readily prepared by Heck coupling and hydrolysis followed by condensation with potassium ethyl malonate. Chapter 4 describes work on catalytic selenium reagents with stoichiometric amount of hypervalent iodine to convert a range of stilbene carboxylic acids into their corresponding isocoumarins. The work also describes the selective synthesis of dihydroisocoumarins using diphenyl disulfide and dimethyl diselenide.

The present work describes the selenium-mediated cyclofunctionalisations of alkenes. Three different areas are reported herein. Chapter 2 reports syntheses of several substrates for carbocyclisation reactions and use of selenium and Lewis acids resulting in various dihydronaphthalenes. These dihydronaphthalenes then acted as substrates for second ring forming reactions. This novel tandem double cyclisation comprises a carboannulation, a Friedel-Crafts reaction and a rearrangement. This cascade sequence has been proven to be a useful tool in the selective synthesis of dihydronaphthalenes and benzofluorenes from easily accessible stilbenes and provides fast access to polycyclic ring systems in a single step. Chapter 3 describes electrophilic selenium-mediated reactions which have been used to cyclise a range of /-keto esters to corresponding biaryl compounds under very mild conditions. The products were formed by a carboannulation via addition/elimination sequence and a subsequent rearrangement of range of alkyl and aryl groups. The key starting materials stilbene /-keto esters were readily prepared by Heck coupling and hydrolysis followed by condensation with potassium ethyl malonate. Chapter 4 describes work on catalytic selenium reagents with stoichiometric amount of hypervalent iodine to convert a range of stilbene carboxylic acids into their corresponding isocoumarins. The work also describes the selective synthesis of dihydroisocoumarins using diphenyl disulfide and dimethyl diselenide.