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Two crude heteropolysaccharides were isolated from fruits of Caryota mitis and Chamaerops humilis in percentages of 2.65 and 3.89, respectively. In the case of Caryota mitis (CM) polysaccharide, it...

A new methodology for the synthesis of a new series of mesotetrakis[aryl]-21H,23H-porphyrin derivatives 5a–5d, 6a–6c, 7 and 8 is presented. Structures of new compounds were established based on both elemental and spectral data. Cytotoxicity activity of the newly synthesized compounds was investigated against two human cell lines MCF-7 and HepG2. Molecular docking was performed to investigate the binding between the most active porphyrin derivatives and Bcl-2 molecular biomarkers in HepG2 cells.

This study evaluated the biochemical, molecular, and histopathological mechanisms involved in the hypoglycaemic effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) in experimental diabetic rats. ZnONPs were prepared by the sol-gel method and characterised by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). To explore the possible hypoglycaemic and antioxidant effect of ZnONPs, rats were grouped as follows: control group, ZnONPs treated group, diabetic group, and diabetic + ZnONPs group. Upon treatment with ZnONPs, a significant alteration in the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and the levels of insulin, haemoglobin A1c, and the expression of cluster of differentiation 4+ (CD4+), CD8+ T cells, glucose transporter type-4 (GLUT-4), tumour necrosis factor, and interleukin-6 when compared to diabetic and their control rats. ZnONPs administration to the diabetic group showed eminent blood glucose control and restoration of the biochemical profile. This raises their active role in controlling pancreas functions to improve glycaemic status as well as the inflammatory responses. Histopathological investigations showed the non-toxic and therapeutic effect of ZnONPs on the pancreas. TEM of pancreatic tissues displayed restoration of islets of Langerhans and increased insulin-secreting granules. This shows the therapeutic application of ZnONPs as a safe anti-diabetic agent and to have a potential for the control of diabetes.

The cyclic voltammetry technique was used to study the electrochemical behavior of vanadyl sulfate in absence and presence of antibiotic (cefazolin) in 0.1 M KCl under different pH values at 300.15 K. The redox behavior of vanadyl sulfate has been studied by using glassy carbon electrode, Ag/AgCl as a reference electrode and Pt wire as a counter electrode under potential from +1500 mV to −1000 mV. One anodic peak and one cathodic peak are observed in cyclic voltammograms. Peak current ratio and peak potential separation (ΔE) was calculated, the higher values of them gave an indication about systems under study are quasi-reversible. The effect of pH, scan rate and concentration of electroactive species on the interaction between vanadyl sulfate and antibiotic were studied. Charge transfer coefficients (α), the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants (ks) and the diffusion coefficients (D) involved in the redox reaction were evaluated.

The structures and thermodynamic parameters of hydrated lithium ion clusters incorporating a single lithium ion and up to six water molecules have been determined with density functional (DFT) and Hartree-Fock (HF) at the RB3LYP/631G(d,p) levels of theory. The possible formed structures are found to be 23 Li + (H 2 O) n complex for n = 1–6. The primary solvation shell in the gas phase is confirmed to be tetrahydrated in aqueous environment. Very important role of intermolecular hydrogen bond in determining the stability of solvation process of different ions is confirmed by theoretical studies. The calculated gas phase coordination number in the first solvation sphere of a hydrated lithium metal ion is found to be four and the same is also confirmed by the experimental findings. The equilibrium lithium–oxygen distance of 1.970 A at the present B3LYP level of study is in excellent agreement with the X-ray diffraction result of 1.980 A and neutron scattering study with a result of 1.90 A for a tetrahydrated lithium cluster. NBO was analyzed and discussed.

An Anton Par Model 55 densimeter was used to measure the densities of copper sulphate solutions in H 2 O and EtOH–H 2 O at 298.15 K, 303.15 K, 308.15 K, and 313.15 K. The acquired information was used to ascertain the apparent molar volumes, limiting partial molar volumes, and transfer partial molar volumes of copper sulphate. These computed parameters were utilized to decipher the solute–solute and solute–solvent interactions of copper sulphate in an aqueous ethanol solution. The ion solvation behavior of copper sulphate in water and aqueous ethanol over the range of 298.15–313.15 K was studied using the electrical conductivity principle. The Kraus–Bray and Shedlovsky models of conductivity were used to analyze the obtained conductance data. From the obtained data, the limiting molar conductance λ ° m , association constant K A , energy of activation of the rating process ( E a ), and related thermodynamic parameters were determined. The Walden product ( λ ° m η 0 ) was determined. The standard thermodynamic parameters of association (Δ G ° A , Δ H ° A ) were calculated and discussed. Increased ion–solvent and solvent–solvent interactions are indicated by limiting molar conductance values with an increasing amount of ethanol. The negative Δ G ° A values indicate that the association processes in all of the studied systems are spontaneous processes. The negative estimation of (Δ H ° A ) demonstrates that the association processes is exothermic in nature.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesised with hydrothermal autoclaving technique by using AgNO 3 salt (silver precursor) at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.55, 1.1, 5.5, and 11 mM) and porcine skin (1% (w/v) ) gelatin polymeric matrix (reducing and stabiliser agent). The reaction was performed in an autoclave at 103 kPa and 121°C and the hydrothermal autoclaving exposure time and AgNO 3 molar concentration were varied at a constant porcine skin gelatin concentration. The as-prepared AgNPs were characterised by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The antibacterial properties of AgNPs were tested against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays were used to test whether the synthesised AgNPs can be potentially applied in cancer therapy or used as an antioxidant. This approach is a promising simple route for synthesising AgNPs with a smaller average particle 10 nm diameter. Furthermore, AgNPs exhibited a good cytotoxicity activity, reducing the viability of the liver cancer cell line HepG2 with a moderate IC 50 ; they also showed a low-to-fair antioxidant activity. In addition, AgNPs had a remarkable preferential antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, these fabricated AgNPs can be used as an antibacterial agent in curative and preventive health care.

Nineteen organoselenides were synthesized and tested for their intrinsic cytotoxicity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines and their corresponding selective cytotoxicity (SI) was estimated using normal lung fibroblast (WI-38) cells. Most of the organic selenides exhibited good anticancer activity, and this was more pronounced in HepG2 cells. Interestingly, the naphthoquinone- (5), thiazol- (12), and the azo-based (13) organic selenides demonstrated promising SI (up to 76). Furthermore, the amine 4c, naphthoquinone 5, and azo-based 13 and 15 organic selenides were able to down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and up-regulate the expression levels of IL-2, IL-6 and CD40 in HepG2 cells compared to untreated cells. Moreover, most of the synthesized candidates manifested good free radical-scavenging and GPx-like activities comparable to vitamin C and ebselen. The obtained results suggested that some of the presented organoselenium candidates have promising anti-HepG2 and antioxidant activities.

Potassium chloride (0.1 M) and acetate buffer of different pH are used to study the redox behavior of Cu(II) ions in absence and presence of lysine amino acid. The potential window +1500 mV and -1000 mV was used to study the redox properties at solid glassy carbon electrode. Silver/silver chloride is used as a reference electrode and the counter electrode used is Pt. One pair of cathodic and anodic peaks for the Cu(II)/Cu(0) system is showed in cyclic voltammograms indicating the presence of two-electron transfer. The interaction between metal and ligand is supported by the shift of peak potential and charge transfer rate constant (k s ) values. Concentration effect of Cu(II) ions and solution pH effect on the interaction was also studied. The quasi-reversible process is indicated by a higher value of peak current ratio and peak potential separation (ΔE).

Here a new series of twenty-one organoselenides, of potential protective activity, were synthesized and tested for their intrinsic cytotoxicity, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant capacities in oligodendrocytes. Most of the organoselenides were able to decrease the ROS levels, revealing antioxidant properties. Compounds 5b and 7b showed a high glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like activities, which were 1.5 folds more active than ebselen. Remarkably, compound 5a diminished the formation of the oligodendrocytes SubG1 peak in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating its anti-apoptotic properties. Furthermore, based on the SwissADME web interface, we performed an in-silico structure-activity relationship to explore the drug-likeness of these organoselenides, predicting the pharmacokinetic parameters for compounds of interest that could cross the blood-brain barrier. Collectively, we present new organoselenide compounds with cytoprotective and antioxidant properties that can be considered as promising drug candidates for myelin diseases.

Four previously undescribed sucrose diester of aryldihydronaphthalene-type lignans, named echiumins A-D, were isolated from the butanol fraction of Echium angustifolium Mill, in addition to a known compound, trigonotin A, which is reported for the first time from the title plant. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic methods such as HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The isolated compounds displayed strong to weak antitumor activity against HepG2 and MCF7 cancer cell lines, with echiumins A and D showed the most potent activity.

Novel tetrazole-based diselenides and selenoquinones were synthesized via azido-Ugi and sequential nucleophilic substitution (SN) strategy. Molecular docking study into mammalian TrxR1 was used to predict the anticancer potential of the newly synthesized compounds. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds was evaluated using hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cancer cells and compared with their cytotoxicity in normal fibroblast (WI-38) cells. The corresponding redox properties of the synthesized compounds were assessed employing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like activity and bleomycin dependent DNA damage. In general, diselenides showed preferential cytotoxicity to HepG2 compared to MCF-7 cells. These compounds exhibited also good GPx catalytic activity compared to ebselen (up to 5 fold). Selenoquinones 18, 21, 22 and 23 were selected to monitor the expression levels of caspase-8, Bcl-2 and Ki-67 molecular biomarkers. Interestingly, these compounds downregulated the Bcl-2 and Ki-67 expression levels and activated the expression of caspase-8 in HepG2 cells compared to untreated cells. These results indicate that some of the newly synthesized compounds possess anti-HepG2 activity.

An efficient route towards the synthesis of symmetrical diselenide and seleniumcontaining quinone pseudopeptides via one-pot Ugi and sequential nucleophilic substitution (SN) methodology was developed. Compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial and anticancer activities and their corresponding antioxidant/pro-oxidant profiles were assesed employing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), bleomycin dependent DNA damage and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like activity assays. Selenium based quinones were among the most potent cytotoxic compounds with a slight preference for MCF-7 compared to HepG2 cells and good free radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, symmetrical diselenides exhibited the most potent GPx-like activity compared to ebselen. Moreover, compounds 7, 8, 9 and 10 exhibited similar antifungal activity to the antifungal drug clotrimazole with modest activity against the Gram-positive bacterium S. aureus. These results indicate that some of the synthesized organoselenides are redox modulating agent with promising anti-cancer and antifungal potentials.