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Essential oils (EOs) of Citrus reticulata (C. reticulata, mandarin) peels and Thymus vulgaris (T. vulgaris) are well known active microbial inhibitors. Nanoemulsion preparation is a modern technique for enhancing antimicrobial potentialities. EOs of both plants were prepared and chemically characterized using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Methyl-N-methyl anthranilate (non terpenoidal compound) and monoterpene hydrocarbons are the main components of mandarin peels EO with relative concentrations of 61.07% and 35.15%, respectively. Whereas, T. vulgaris was characterized by abundance of oxygenated monoterpenes and monoterpene hydrocarbons with relative concentrations of 66.89%, and 25.74%, respectively. The antimicrobial potentialities of EOs and their nanoemulsions were assayed. Mandarin EO exhibited strong activities against Citrobacter diversus (ATCC 13315), Proteus vulgaris (ATCC 13315), and Escherichia coli (resis.) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 12.5 and 25 μg mL−1, respectively. On the other hand, mandarin nanoemulsion showed potentialities against all strains with MIC and MBC of 3.13 and 6.25 μg mL−1, respectively. T. vulgaris EO showed antibacterial potentialities against C. diversus, P. vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli (resis.) with MIC of 0.19 μg mL−1 and a moderate activity against the other strains. Also, its nanoemulsion exhibited better growth inhibition against C. diversus, P. vulgaris, and E. coli (resis.) at 0.19 μg mL−1. Mandarin EO possessed significant antifungal activities against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida glabrata with MIC of 0.19, 0.78, and 1.56 μg mL−1, respectively. The mandarin nanoemulsion had a significant activity against C. glabrata and C. tropicalis with MIC of 0.39 and 1.56 μg mL−1, respectively. T. vulgaris EO and its nanoemulsion are significant antifungals for all strains with MIC of 0.19 and 0.39 μg mL−1, respectively. The findings deduced the significant role of EOs of both plants and their nanoformulations as antimicrobial agents in food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bacillus sp. levan (BL) was characterized by different ways. • BL showed curative effect in peptic ulcer. • BL was adhesive agent and appeared high prebiotic activity. • BL lowering the expressions of NF-κB and Cox-2. Peptic ulcer is one of the worldwide diseases where 10% of adults are affected by peptic ulcers at least once in their lifetime. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of levan in treating peptic ulcer. The bacterial honey isolates called Bacillus sp. levan was utilized. Levan was chemically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), 1H and 13C NMR analysis. Levan was used to treat gastric ulcers induced in rats by oral administration of 5 mL/kg ethanol. Microscopic examination of stomach sections indicated that treatment with 200 mg/kg levan effectively healed the ulcers. Levan had no antimicrobial activity against a common cause of ulcers such as Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Rather, we proposed that the high adhesion (manifested as a protective coating) and prebiotic activity of levan may account for the observed beneficial effects. The immunohistochemical examination showed that levan led to a noticeable Bacillus sp. levan reduction in NF-κB in the upper gastric mucosa. The results concluded that the role of levan was more protective rather than preventive and suggested that levan could play a fundamental role in solving the peptic ulcer problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Punica granatum peel (PGP) is widely used in traditional medicinal purposes for chronic wounds owing to containing natural phenolics active components. In current study, active wound dressing hydrogel for chronic wound healing was prepared based on P. granatum peel crude extract (PGPC), ethyl acetate fraction (PGPEA) and their silver nanoforms (Ag-NPs). Methacrylated chitosan was synthesized as precursor to hydrogel and crosslinked by divinyl sulfone (DVS) in mild condition. Hydrogel was fully characterized by spectral morphological, mechanical and physical analyses. The integration of PGPEA silver nanoforms was formed with particle size of 15–56 nm to show minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) equal 63 for Staphylococcus aureus and 125 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The hydrogel-based wound dressing with/without the active ingredients showed acceptable cytotoxicity against fibroblast human cells for PGPC and PGPEA fraction over the silver nanoforms. Rat as animal model was considered to show the impact of the active wound dressing on diabetic wounds which was proved by histopathological examination. In addition, the significant intensity of immunopositivity signals of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1) and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) in the epidermal cells have revealed the efficiency of Ag NPs-PGPEA-chitosan hydrogel for chronic wound curing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to highlight the effect of the extraction methods used on the chemical composition and evaluation of antimicrobial activity of the Origanum majorana Essential oil. Accordingly, three different extraction methods namely; Microwave-assisted extraction (MWE), hydro-distillation (HD) and steam distillation (SD) were used for O. majorana essential oils (EOs) extraction. There is variability in the chemical composition of essential oils obtained from the different extraction methods used. Overall, HD showed the highest % of oxygenated monoterpenes (66.8 %), while SD showed the highest % of monoterpene hydrocarbons (46.85 %). Oxygenated sesquiterpenes showed the lowest percentage of the EOs (3.6 % HD, 1.4 % MWE and 0.7 % SD). Terpinene-4-ol was the major components of O. majorana EO with different percentages 28.49 % HD, 22.28 % MWE and 26.72 % SD. EOs was tested for their antimicrobial activity against ten pathogenic microbes (fungi, yeast and bacteria). EOs extracted by SD method showed antimicrobial activities against all tested pathogens with variation degree. This result could be useful in designing the best extraction method. Key word: Microwave-assisted extraction, hydro-distillation, steam distillation, essential oil, antimicrobial activities and Origanum majorana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice straw and husk are one of the major agricultural wastes in Egypt, which cause problems for farmers. Hemicellulose is considered one of the major components of straw and husk lignocellulosic biomass. The new methods and techniques for hemicellulose extraction from renewable with low cost and their modification to produce a promising value-added hemicellulose derivative are important issues. Therefore, the present study aimed at extracting hemicellulose from Egyptian agriculture wastes rice straw and husk by 4% sodium hydroxide at 90 °C. The extracted hemicellulose was purified by 5% hydrogen peroxide and separated into soluble and insoluble hemicellulose in distilled water. The sulfation process of hemicellulose was done in presence of two different catalysts (N, N-Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and 4-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP)). Results showed that the sulfated soluble hemicelluloses have the highest degree of sulfation (DS) with low total carbohydrate content. The prepared sulfated hemicellulose using DCC or DMAP showed promising biological activities such as anticoagulation activity at 31.25 µg/mL and fibrinolytic activity lysis more than 80% at 2000 µg/mL compared standard (Hemoclar). These sulfated hemicellulose compounds were practically non-toxic on the VERO cells with LD 50 ≥ 5000 mg /Kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a great deal of interest in the use of ginseng in traditional medicine. Polysaccharides acidic and alkaline extracts were extracted using different methods from Panax ginseng . In an attempt to enhance the biological activities of the presently prepared ginseng extracts, they were subjected to structural modification by sulfation process. Ginseng polysaccharides extracts were used for evaluation of different biomedical activity such as prebiotic, fibrinolytic, anticoagulant, antioxidant, antitumor activity and total phenolic content. Polysaccharides acidic and alkaline extracts polysaccharides and their sulfated polysaccharides derivatives were evaluated against human colon cancer cell (HCT-116), human liver cancer cell (HepG-2) and human breast cancer cell (MCF-7). The novel sulfated polysaccharide showed the best cytotoxic activity on all the tested cell lines compared to doxorubicin (as positive control material). The result revealed that novel sulfated polysaccharide has a potent activity on the colon (HCT-116), liver (HepG-2) and breast cancer cell (MCF-7). With IC 50 value (< 20 µg/mL) were found 3.23 µg/mL, 1.24 µg/mL and 2.46 µg/mL, respectively. While doxorubicin has activity with IC 50 values were found 4.52 µg/mL, 3.07 µg/mL, and 4.51 µg/mL, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to prepare micro/nanocrystalline cellulose-loaded naringin (NAR) tablets and evaluate their neuro-protective/therapeutic potentials in Alzheimer's disease (AD) model. Micro/nanocellulose was prepared from different agro-wastes, and the different cellulose preparations were then used to formulate eight oral tablets of naringin micro/nanoparticles by direct compression. AD-like symptoms were induced in adult male Sprague Dawley rats by co-administration of 150 mg/kg AlCl 3 and 300 mg/kg D-galactose (oral administration/one week), and NAR tablets were assessed for neuroprotective/therapeutic potentials in terms of behavioral changes, levels of neurodegenerative and inflammatory markers, brain redox status, neurotransmitter tones, and cortex/hippocampus histopathological alterations. NAR treatments have significantly reversed the neurotoxic effect of AlCl 3 as demonstrated by improved spatial and cognitive memory functions and promoted antioxidant defense mechanisms in treated AD animals. Also, the neurodegeneration was markedly restrained as reflected by marked histopathological enhancement, and prevention/amelioration of neuropsychiatric disorders, besides the restorative effect on dysregulated neurotransmitters tone. Both NAR tablet forms showed an overall higher ameliorative effect compared to the DPZ reference drug. The formulated tablets represent promising neuroprotective/therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease. • Micro/nano crystalline cellulose was prepared from different local agro-residues. • Eight tablets of naringin loaded on Micro/nanocellulose were prepared and evaluated. • Surpassing DPZ, bagasse-based NAR tablets reversed the neurotoxic effect of AlCl 3. • No toxicity or cellulose disposition was detected in the treated animals' tissues. • The de-novo formulated NAR tablets represent promising neuroprotective/therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano silver has positive effects on the growth and development of in vitro plants. The current study was carried out to investigate the effect of adding different concentrations of nano silver nitrate (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 ml/l) to the culture medium in multiplication and rooting stage of the date palm cv. Hayani. The results showed that there was a significant difference of Ag NPs concentrations in regeneration stage as it increased the number and length of shoots at 3.0 ml/l concentrations compared to the control treatment. The outcome of shoots multiplication experiment indicated that Ag NPs concentration had a significant positive effect on studied traits, when the 3.0 ml/l of Ag NPs added to MS basal medium supplemented with BA at 2.0, GA 3 at 0.5 and NAA at 0.1 (mg/l) gave the highest shoots and leaves number as it reached 10.74 shoots and 30.11 leaf/culture with length 6.60 cm, respectively in comparison with lowest results recorded 2.50 shoot/culture, 10.70 leaf/culture with length 2.00 cm, respectively with the control treatment. All shoots were cultivated in a new medium supplemented with NAA at 1.0 mg/l and various concentrations of Ag NPs to study root formation. The findings indicated that the optimal medium for root formation was one that included Ag NPs at 3.0 ml/l which resulted in the highest rooting percentage (85.4%), root number (8.4 root/culture) with length 6.3 cm. In concentration 3.0 ml/l of Ag NPs recorded that, chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B and carotenoids increases to 1.50, 1.10 and 2.33 (mg/g). Also, occurred increase in carbohydrate content to 26.33 mg/g, the proline was enhanced and increased gradually to 3.31 mg/g and protein content to 0.77 mg/g. • Nano silver has positive effects on the growth and development of in vitro date palm cove. Hayani. • The findings indicated that the optimal medium for root formation, rooting percentage, root number and length. • Chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, carotenoids, carbohydrate content, proline and protein content were enhanced and increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The bioactive components of the hydroalcoholic (MeOH 70%) Punica granatum peel crude extract (PGPC) and its methanol fraction (PGPM) were extracted and tentatively identified by LCMS/MS as a number of phenolic compounds which are used as capping agents fasting the reduction of Ag+ to Ag (0). The prepared silver nano-particles Ag NPs PGPC and Ag NPs PGPM were characterized by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–vis spectra. Four mouthwashes were designed using PGPC, PGPM, Ag NPs PGPC and Ag NPs PGPM. The prepared mouthwashes exhibited a significant antimicrobial activity against the Streptococcus mutans and the three dental plaque isolates called Lysinibacillus cresolivorans, Lysinibacillus cresolivorans and Lysinibacillus boronitolerans. As well as, the prepared Ag NPs mouthwashes led to reduction in the cytotoxicity against BJ-1 cell line equal 35 and 23.66% with LC 50 = 185.16 and 134.8 μg/mL. Finally, phenolics promote Ag NPs PGPM mouthwash to be potent anti-calculus and anti-hemorrhagic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]