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Nanotechnology is an evolving interdisciplinary field of research interspersing material science and nanobiotechnology. Nanoparticles are studied extensively for their specific catalytic, magnetic, electronic, optical, antimicrobial, theranostic, diagnosis, wound healing, and anti-inflammatory properties. ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have many applications owing to their unique characteristics, which include low cost, nontoxicity, abundance in nature, and the ability to prepare compounds with varying morphologies having different properties. The main aim of the study is to biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticles coated with silver from the aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst and to evaluate its antidiabetic potential by performing alpha-glucosidase inhibition and alpha-amylase inhibition assays and to evaluate the anticancer potential by cytotoxicity (MTT) assay against human breast cancer MDA-MB 231 cell lines. The biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticles coated with Ag was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscopy. An increasing concentration in the biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles coated with Ag produces strong antidiabetic activity through enzyme inhibition effect and anticancer activity through the reduction of cell viability. The present study recommended that the “Biological” method of biological nanoparticle production is a promising approach that allows synthesis in aqueous conditions, with low energy requirements and low costs. In the future, the mycosynthesized nanoparticles might be used in the medical arena to treat and prevent diseases.

Background The emergence of resistance to commonly used antibiotics by human infections occurred mostly due to their overuse, that prompted individuals to pursue novel and innovative treatments. The phytochemical characteristics, antibacterial activity, and cytotoxicity of MCF7 cells were evaluated in two Pleurotus spp. mycelial extracts in this work. Methods Pleurotus djamor and Pleurotus florida mycelial extracts from pure cultures were tested for antibacterial activity by a well-diffusion assay and antimicrobial activity against mold fungi was evaluated for biomass inhibition. Mycelial extracts were obtained from dichloromethane extracts and their biophysical characteristics are analyzed by UV–vis spectrum and FTIR analysis. By spraying detection reagents onto TLC plates, the chemicals in dichloromethane extraction of chosen mushroom fungus mycelia were identified. Using the MTT test, the cytotoxic effect of dichloromethane extracts of selected mushroom fungi was evaluated on MCF7 Cell lines. Results Mycelial extracts of P. djamor and P. florida exhibited significant antimicrobial effect on the bacterial and fungal pathogens tested. Dichloromethane mycelial extracts were obtained using soxhlet extraction which response positive for various phytochemical analysis. Detection of metabolites in thin layer chromatography using spray reagents documented one of few first accounts on flavonoids, anthroquinone and terpenoid compounds in P. djamor and P. florida. P. djamor and P. florida had dose-dependent antiproliferative activity against MCF7 cells, with an inhibitory impact of 55.72% and 64.47% percent at 125 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion The study has reported the identification with the potent biological activity of some of the key bioactive components present in DCM extracts from the mycelia of P. djamor and P. florida.

Pesticide overuse can have a negative effect on the development processes of non-target plants.

We have designed an easy, affordable, and eco-friendly technique for Schiff base preparation of vanillin-coupled piperidine analogues using CuO NPs as a catalyst. Using a green chemistry strategy using copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) as a catalyst, a unique one-pot synthesis of Schiff base vanillin-linked piperidine derivatives (2, 2a-2j) may be generated, with a potential yield in a short reaction time. The CuO NPs were synthesized with the aloe vera extract. The newly synthesized piperidin-4-ylidene analogues were investigated using FT-IR, NMR (1H, 13C), mass spectra, and elemental analysis. The morphology of piperidine derivatives was studied using XRD and TEM. The compound 2a-2j was evaluated for antibacterial activity against gram +ve and gram −ve bacteria. Compound 2d is exceptionally active against (5.0 μg/mL, E. coli), and 2c is very effective against (4.0 μg/mL, L. plantarum) when compared to reference drug and other Schiff base of vanillin-associated piperidine derivatives. Finally, we concluded the compounds 2c and 2d have strong antibacterial activity and can be used as antibacterial drugs in the future.

Development of hybrid graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) nanocomposite is an emerging research area in wastewater treatment. Herein, hybrid visible light active photocatalyst of silver decorated polymeric graphitic carbon nitride and (Ag-GCN) with cerium oxide (CeO

The use of dyes and segments has increased widely in recent years, but it poses a serious health risk to ecosystems. In this work, TiO

Herein, we report an Ag

Plant-based synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) has emerged as a potential alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods. In this context, the aim of the present study was to synthesize Ag-NPs from Cassia fistula (L.) leaf extract and to evaluate their nano-pesticidal potential against major phyto-pathogens of tomato. From the data, it was found that particle size of spherical C. fistula leaf synthesized (Ag@CfL-NPs) varied from 10 to 20 nm, with the average diameter of 16 nm. Ag@CfL-NPs were validated and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy (surface resonance peak λmax = 430 nm), energy dispersive spectrophotometer (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), and electron microscopy; scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FTIR spectra verified the participation of various living molecules (aromatic/aliphatic moieties and proteins) in synthesized Ag@CfL-NPs. The anti-phytopathogenic potential of Ag@CfL-NPs was assessed under in vitro conditions. Increasing doses of Ag@CfL-NPs exhibited an inhibitory effect against bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and 400 μg Ag@CfL-NPs ml–1 caused a reduction in cellular viability, altered bacterial morphology, and caused cellular death Furthermore, Ag@CfL-NPs reduced exopolysaccharides (EPS) production and biofilm formation by P. syringae Additionally, Ag@CfL-NPs showed pronounced antifungal activity against major fungal pathogens. At 400 μg Ag@CfL-NPs ml–1, sensitivity of tested fungi followed the order: Fusarium oxysporum (76%) > R. solani (65%) > Sarocladium (39%). Furthermore, 400 μg Ag@CfL-NPs ml–1 inhibited the egg-hatching and increased larval mortality of Meloidogyne incognita by 82 and 65%, respectively, over control. Moreover, pot studies were performed to assess the efficacy of Ag@CfL-NPs to phyto-pathogens using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a model crop. The applied phyto-pathogens suppressed the biological, physiological, and oxidative-stress responsiveness of tomatoes. However, 100 mg Ag@CfL-NPs kg–1 improved overall performance and dramatically increased the root length, dry biomass, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, peroxidase (POD), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity over pathogens-challenged tomatoes. This study is anticipated to serve as an essential indication for synthesis of efficient nano-control agents, which would aid in the management of fatal phyto-pathogens causing significant losses to agricultural productivity. Overall, our findings imply that Ag@CfL-NPs as nano-pesticides might be used in green agriculture to manage the diseases and promote plant health in a sustainable way.

Among abiotic stresses, salinity is a significant limiting factor affecting agricultural productivity, survival, and production, resulting in significant economic losses. Considering the salinity problem, the goal of this study was to identify a halotolerant beneficial soil bacterium to circumvent salinity-induced phytotoxicity. Here, strain KR-17 (having an irregular margin; a mucoid colony; Gm-ve short rod; optimum temperature, 30°C; pH 7.0; no any pigmentation; showed a positive response to citrate utilization, catalase, starch, sucrose, lactose, and dextrose, etc.) recovered from rhizosphere soils of the potato-cultivating field, tolerated surprisingly a high (18% NaCl; 3.-M concentration) level of salt and identified as Kosakonia radicincitans (Accession No. OM348535). This strain was discovered to be metabolically active, synthesized essential PGP bioactive molecules like indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophore (iron-chelating compounds), ACC deaminase, and ammonia, the quantity of which, however, increased with increasing NaCl concentrations. Here, Raphanus sativus L. (radish) was taken as a model crop to evaluate the adverse impact of NaCl, as well as salinity alleviation by halotolerant K. radicincitans. Salinity-induced toxicity to R. sativus was increased in a dose-dependent way, as observed both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Maximum NaCl levels (15%) demonstrated more extreme harm and considerably reduced the plant's biological features. However, membrane damage, relative leaf water content (RLWC), stressor metabolites, and antioxidant enzymes were increased as NaCl concentration increased. In contrast, halotolerant K. radicincitans KR-17 relieved salinity stress and enhanced the overall performance of R. sativus (L.) by increasing germination efficiency, dry biomass, and leaf pigments even in salt-challenged conditions. Additionally, KR-17 inoculation significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved plant mineral nutrients (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu, P, and N). Following inoculation, strain KR-17 enhanced the protein, carbohydrates, root pigments, amino acids (AsA and Lys), lipids, and root alkaloids in R. sativus (L.). Besides these, due to PGPR seed priming in NaCl-stressed/non-stressed conditions, membrane damage, RLWC, stressor metabolites, and antioxidant defense enzymes were dramatically reduced. The strong biofilm-forming capacity of K. radicincitans could result in both in vitro and in vivo colonization under NaCl stress. Conclusively, halotolerant K. radicincitans KR-17 may probably be investigated affordably as the greatest way to increase the production of radish under salinity-stressed soils.

Microbial degradation is an effective, eco-friendly and sustainable approach for management of the rice residue. After harvesting a rice crop, removal of stubble from the ground is a challenging task, that forces the farmers to burn the residue in-situ. Therefore, accelerated degradation using an eco-friendly alternative is a necessity. White rot fungi are the most explored group of microbes for accelerated degradation of lignin but they are very slow in growth. The present investigation focuses on degradation of rice stubble using a fungal consortium constructed with highly sporulating ascomycetes fungi, namely, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria spp. All three species were successful at colonizing the rice stubble. Periodical HPLC analysis of rice stubble alkali extracts revealed that incubation with ligninolytic consortium released various lignin degradation products such as vanillin, vanillic acid, coniferyl alcohol, syringic acid and ferulic acid. The efficiency of the consortium was further studied at different dosages on paddy straw. Maximum lignin degradation was observed when the consortium was applied at 15% volume by weight of rice stubble. Maximum activity of different lignolytic enzymes such as lignin peroxidase, laccase and total phenols was also found with the same treatment. FTIR analysis also supported the observed results. Hence, the presently developed consortium for degrading rice stubble was found to be effective in both laboratory and field conditions. The developed consortium or its oxidative enzymes can be used alone or combined with other commercial cellulolytic consortia to manage the accumulating rice stubble effectively.

Background This work is development of new molecules of isoniazid derivatives as dealing with potential of antimicrobial activity against clinical pathogens causing infectious disease. Antimicrobial of novel Mannich base derivatives can be achieved via one-pot synthesis in green chemistry approach. This method offers efficient, mild reaction conditions and high yields. In this study, totally 12 compounds (1a–l) was prepared and screened for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities. Materials and methods Newly synthesised compounds were conformed via FT- IR, 1H, and 13C NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), and mass spectra analysis. All compounds were checked antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria of Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. All compounds were checked against antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus niger, and Microsporum audouinii. All compounds were screened for cytotoxic activity against the MCF-7 (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7) cancer cell line. Result The compound 1g was highly (MIC: 0.25 μg/mL) active against gram-negative bacterial of P. aeruginosa, whereas other compounds 1e and 1h were more active (MIC: 2 μg/mL) in K. pneumoniae and also 1g (MIC: 2 μg/mL) was more active in E. faecalis than standard ciprofloxacin. Antifungal screening, the compound 1b was highly active (MIC: 0.25 μg/mL) against C. albicance, 1g (MIC: 2 μg/mL) and 1h (MIC: 4 μg/mL) was significant of active against A. fumigatus, and the compound 1c (MIC: 4 μg/mL) was extremely active in M. audouinii than clotrimazole. Compound 1g (GI50 = 0.01 μM) exhibited high activity against the MCF-7 cell line, while 1b (GI50 = 0.02 μM) was equipotent active compared with standard doxorubicin. Conclusion A novel set of isoniazid derivatives (1a–l) and 1h were synthesized and screened for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. We found some highly active molecules, which are evidencing to be a potential treatment of bacterial and fungal infection candidates.

Biosynthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles has attracted much attention in recent years owing to the increasing impact for improving hygienic substances, cost effective approaches, environment friendly solvents and reusable resources. The present study has shown the eco synthesis of TiO

Mepiquat chloride (MC) is a plant growth regulator used to manage the rampant vegetative growth of cotton. A two-year field experiment was conducted at the Postgraduate Agricultural Research Station, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, during 2017 and 2018 to investigate the influence of MC applied at different times on phenology, morphology, lint yield and quality of cotton cultivated using different sowing techniques. MC was applied 50 days after sowing (DAS), 60 DAS and 70 DAS to cotton planted in flat fields (flat sowing), ridges (ridge sowing) and beds (bed sowing). The interactive effect of MC application time and sowing technique did not influence crop phenology, morphology, and lint yield and quality. It was revealed that the crop planted on beds took fewer days to flower (10%) as compared to that on the flat field, and the bed-sown crop produced a higher number of opened bolls (60%) and was characterized by a higher boll weight (32%) and seed cotton yield (50%) in comparison to the flat-sown crop. A late application of MC (at 70 DAS) caused a significant reduction in the time to flowering (8%), with a simultaneous increase in the number of opened bolls (60%), boll weight (32%), ginning out turn (8%) and lint yield (27%) as compared to MC application at 50 DAS. In terms of lint quality, cotton planted on beds had better fiber uniformity (8%) compared to that on the flat field, while MC applied at 70 DAS produced better fiber fineness by 27% in comparison to MC applied earlier. Overall, cotton planting on beds and MC application at 70 DAS may help improve cotton yield and fiber quality and may help in the mechanical picking of cotton.

The present work aimed to synthesis silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using biological waste products Citrus limon peels, its characterization, antimicrobial activities and the cytotoxic effect of the synthesized green AgNPs. Characterization of the prepared AgNPs showed the formation of spherical, and few agglomerated AgNPs forms as measured by UV–visible spectrophotometer. The average size of the prepared AgNPs was 59.74 nm as measured by DLS technique. The spectrum of the synthesized AgNPs was observed at 3 KeV using the EDX. On the other hand, FTIR analysis of the green synthesized AgNPs showed the presence of alcohols, phenolics, mono-substituted alkynes, aliphatic primary amines, sodium salt, amino acid, or SiOH alcohol groups. The antimicrobial studies of the formed AgNPs showed positive activity against most of the studied human pathogenic bacteria with varying degrees. Finally, the evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of the green synthesized AgNPs were done using two types of cell lines, human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and human colon carcinoma cell line (HCT-116). The results revealed the concentration has a direct correlation with cell viability. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of MCF-7 cell line was in of 23.5 ± 0.97 µL/100 µL, whereas the HCT-116 cell line was in 37.48 ± 5.93 µL/100 µL.

Purpose A new series of tetrazole derivatives, which are renowned antimicrobials possessing a five-membered aromatic heterocyclic group, are synthesized herein and subjected to antimicrobial and cytotoxicity screening. Methods The tetrazole derivatives were synthesized via ultrasonication using Mannich base condensation. Structural verification of the products was performed using IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectroscopic and elemental analyses. The compounds were then screened for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity against HepG2 (liver), MCF-7 (breast), and HeLa (cervical) cell lines. Inter- and intra-molecular binding interactions were determined using molecular docking studies. The exact binding mode between the most active tetrazole derivatives (ie, 1b, 2a, and 2b) and the proteins (ie, 4OR7, 1AI9, and 4FM9) was established using Autodock Vina 1.1.2 software and compared to the binding mode of the reference compounds (ie, cefazolin, clotrimazole, and fluorouracil). Results Compound 1b was extremely active against Enterococcus faecalis relative to the positive control cefazolin. Compounds 1b and 1e were active against Candida albicans and Microsporum audouinii compared to the positive control clotrimazole in antifungal screening. The HepG2 (liver) and MCF-7 (breast) cancer cell lines were particularly susceptible to the synthesized compounds. Compared to the control compound fluorouracil, 2a and 2b were extremely active against all three cancer cell lines. Molecular docking studies showed that 2b exhibited higher binding affinity (-7.8 kcal/mol) to the 4OR7 protein than the control cefazolin (-7.2 kcal/mol). Conclusion Generally, 1b, 2a, and 2b exhibited impressive inhibitory capabilities in antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic screenings relative to the reference compounds. The results of the molecular docking studies and both the microbial and anticancer screenings indicate that these novel derivatives could be developed into potential therapeutic agents for medical applications.

The shrimp Penaeus monodon was used for the isolation of digestive enzyme producing host-associated probiotic bacteria. Gut was isolated from a healthy animal completely and morphologically different bacterial isolates were screened for the production of hydrolytic enzymes, such as, protease, amylase, lipase and cellulases. Based on their ability to produce enzymes, the potent probiotic bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis and these two were used for the preparation of probiotic diet for experimental trials. Probiotic diet was prepared by mixing the shrimp feed with 2 g probiotic/100 g artificial diet (F1), 4 g/100 g (F2), 6 g/100 g (F3), 8 g/100 g (F4) and 10 g/100 g (F5). Juvenile shrimp was fed with probiotic and control diet for a period of 7 weeks at 5 and 8% body weight for the first 3 and 7 weeks, respectively. After seven weeks, whole gut was dissected out and protease activity was estimated as 145 ± 12.3 U/g in control animal and increased as 710 ± 15.2 U/ g in F5 feed groups. Amylase activity was 139 ± 10.4 U/g in control and increased as 209 ± 13. 3 U/g in F5 group. Cellulase activities were 171 ± 9.3 in F5 groups and the control group showed only 102 ± 12.4 U/g. Lipase activity was 78 ± 3 U/g in F1 groups and it increased as 85 ± 5 U/g in F3 groups. These findings indicate the potential of host-associated bacteria to enhance the production of enzymes in the gut of juvenile P. monodon.

In this study, phyto-constituents, anti-bacterial and anticancer activity of Azadirachta indica A. Juss and Melia azedarach Linn was analyzed. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) fingerprint profile of methanol extract of A. indica and M. azedarach was carried out. The present findings showed the presence of phytochemicals such as, steroids, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, anthraquinone and aminoacids in A. indica and M. azedarach extracts. HPLC profiling of methanolic extract of A. indica and M. azaderach revealed eleven and ten fractions of compounds were visualized in the form of peak. In TLC methanolic extract of A. indica was separated by eight distinct phenolic and three steroidal bands and M. azaderach showed sixteen distinct phenolic and three different steroidal bands. In antibacterial activity, Among the various extracts 50 µg/ml methanolic extracts of A. indica showed high activity against K. pneumoniae (14 mm) and M. azedarach showed high activity against S. aureus (15 mm). The results suggest that the crude methanolic extracts of A. indica and M. azedarach possess significant phytochemical properties compared to other extracts and hence the phytochemicals of M. azedarach and A. indica can be exploited for plant based anticancer and antimicrobial agents in the near future. Keywords: Medicinal plants, Azadirachta indica, Melia azedarach, Phytochemicals, Anticancer

Background: Environmental exposure to toxicants poses high risk to develop reproductive and developmental chronic toxicity in man. Toluene is one of the commonest industrial agents whose exposure is attributed with potential to induce reproductive and developmental toxicity. Since they contaminate the immediate environment of air and water to which humans are exposed, its containment is of great public health importance. Conventional treatment modalities fail owing to the difficulty to detect these highly volatile agents in environment and human body. The peril of such hazardous exposures is evident only when irreversible structural and functional damages have incurred. In such instances, prevention gains an upper hand when compared to therapeutic interventions. Several natural compounds derived from medicinal herbs possess potential to curb toxicities induced by such xenobiotic agents. Among them Boerhavia diffusa Linn. is a widely distributed and common herb attributed with antitoxic potential and capability for antioxidant defence. A study was performed on the prophylactic efficacy of aqueous extract of B. diffusa in curbing toluene induced developmental toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. Methods: The study consisted of a preliminary phytochemical screening and HPTLC profiling of B. diffusa aqueous extract (BDAE). LC50 of toluene was assessed and a sublethal dose of 200 ppm was fixed for the study. Four doses of BDAE; 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/ml designated as Low dose, medium dose 1, medium dose 2 and high dose was used for the study. The parameters used for the study included the determination of larval period, pupal period, percentage of egg hatching, morphometric analysis of egg, larvae, pupae and adults, fertility, fecundity, lifespan and levels of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, glutathione-S-transferase and superoxide dismutase. Results: The phytochemical and HPTLC characters were as per the pharmacopoeial standards. LC50 of toluene was found to be 430 ppm in this study. BDAE at medium dose 2 and high dose significantly prevented the deterioration of reproductive and developmental toxicity parameters of larval period, pupal period, percentage of egg hatching, morphometric characters of larva, pupa and adult, fertility, fecundity and lifespan in drosophila. Also the drug significantly elevated the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion: Toluene exposure during lifetime is inevitable. B. diffusa, equipped with its rich active ingredients prevented toluene induced developmental and reproductive toxicity in Drosophila. This medicinal herb provides a ray of hope in preventing environmental toxin induced reproductive and developmental toxicity. Keywords: Developmental toxicity, Reproductive toxicity, Toluene, Boerhavia diffusa, Antioxidant

Among abiotic stresses, salinity is a significant limiting factor affecting agricultural productivity, survival, and production, resulting in significant economic losses. Considering the salinity problem, the goal of this study was to identify a halotolerant beneficial soil bacterium to circumvent salinity-induced phytotoxicity. Here, strain KR-17 (having an irregular margin; a mucoid colony; Gm-ve short rod; optimum temperature, 30°C; pH 7.0; no any pigmentation; showed a positive response to citrate utilization, catalase, starch, sucrose, lactose, and dextrose, etc.) recovered from rhizosphere soils of the potato-cultivating field, tolerated surprisingly a high (18% NaCl; 3.-M concentration) level of salt and identified as

Acrylamide is a thermal process contaminant, which gets global attention due to its neurotoxic nature and its omnipresence in carbohydrate-rich foods. Chronic exposure to acrylamide leads to neuronal deterioration and motor dysfunction. Acrylamide could severely affect the antioxidant defense system, especially in the developing brain leading to premature neurological disorders. Acrylamide forms adduct in presynaptic neurons leading to neuroinflammation which is also a factor to consider. In this present study, we have explored whether our benzo[b]thiophene analogs, 1-(3-hydroxybenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl) ethanone (BP) and 1-(3-hydroxybenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl) propan-1-one hydrate (EP) with antioxidant activity, could inhibit the acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity-like behavior in zebrafish larvae. The experiment was set up to expose 3 days post fertilized (dpf) larvae to acrylamide (0.75 mM) for 3 days with or without compounds (80 µM). Locomotion behavioral analysis, antioxidants, glutathione, and acetylcholineesterase activity in the head region were analyzed after one day of the experimental procedure. We witnessed a restoration effect on glutathione redox dynamics. Since glutathione plays a crucial role in the detoxification of acrylamide, it is necessary to maintain the glutathione redox cycle to eliminate acrylamide from the body. BP and EP reduced the pro-inflammatory transcript in the head, which correlates with the reduction in oxidative stress. Finally, BP and EP showed a positive effect on synaptic vesicle cycling transcript and partially restores the motor neuron response to stimuli. Findings in this study showed the ability of compound BP and EP possess therapeutic value in oxidative stress-associated neurological disorders.

Oxidative stress causes disruption of cell macromolecules and resulting neurodegeneration when the antioxidant defense mechanism is inhibited. Oxidative stress is emerging as a key therapeutic target for nerve agent toxicity. Therefore, antioxidant treatment methods are a novel and effective approach to attenuate oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. This study evaluated the neuroprotective and antioxidant ability of a short peptide, RW20 derived from histone acetyltransferases (HATs).Using bioinformatics tools, the short amino acid sequence of RF13 peptide with antioxidant activity was predicted from HAT of Channa striatus transcriptome. The synthesized antioxidant peptide at various concentrations (10–50 μM) was analyzed in in vitro and in vivo antioxidant assay. The neuroprotective effect of RF13 peptide was evaluated in H2O2 stressed zebrafish larvae.The results showed the neuroprotective effect by restoring antioxidant enzymes including SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH, and GST treated with RW20. In addition, the oxidative stress indicator of lipid peroxidation was gradually declined with an increase in the concentration of peptides. It was also shown to attenuate neuronal damage by inhibiting nitric oxide overproduction, thus increasing AChE activity. Further, to validate the neuroprotective effect of RW20, the intracellular ROS level and apoptosis in the zebrafish larvae were analyzed by incubating the larvae along with RW20, which decreased intracellular ROS level and reduced the cell death.Overall, the study demonstrated that RW20 possessed prominent antioxidant activity. Hence, we conclude that RW20 can be developed as a potent therapeutic agent against oxidative stress-induced neurodegenerative diseases.

Poor soil organic matter is one of the major causes of the deterioration of soil health. Most soils fertility is also decreased when enough organic carbon is not present in the soil. Maize is most susceptible to this poor soil fertility status. A significant amount of maize growth and yield is lost when it is cultivated in low organic matter and poor fertility soil. To overcome this issue organic amendments can play an imperative role. Biochar and vermicompost are organic amendments that can not only improve organic residues but also increase soil nutrient concentration. The current experiment was conducted to explore the sole and combined application of both organic amendments with recommended NPK fertilizer. Four treatments were tested i.e., control, biochar (BC1), vermicompost (VC1) and VC1+BC1 with and without nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the experiment. Results showed that VC1+BC1+NPK performed significantly best for improvement in maize plant height (6.25 and 3.00%), 1000 grains weight (30.48 and 29.40%), biological yield (18.86 and 43.12%) and grains yield (30.58 and 39.59%) compared to BC0+VC0+NPK and control respectively. A significant improvement in soil N, P and K also validated the efficacious role of VC1+BC1+NPK over BC0+VC0+NPK and control. Treatment VC1+BC1+NPK is recommended for the achievement of better maize growth and yield in poor organic matter soils. More investigations are suggested in variable climatic conditions to declare VC1+BC1+NPK as the best amendment compared to control for enhancing soil N, P and K status as well as maize productivity.

The present study involves isolation of Streptomyces spp. from rhizosphere of Coscinium fenestratum Gaertn, an endangered medicinal plant from Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Four potential isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Streptomyces sp. RHPR3, Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9, Streptomyces sp. RHPR14 and Streptomyces mediolani RHPR25. An enrichment culture method was used for the isolation of Streptomyces spp. for biosurfactant activity. Among four potential Streptomyces spp., S. puniceus RHPR9 showed highest Emulsification index (EI) (78±0.2%) and Emulsification assay (EA) (223±0.2 EU mL-1). Thin layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometric analysis revealed that as glycolipid. Further confirmed by presence of fatty acids like hexanoic acid methyl ester, decanoic acid by Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. S. puniceus RHPR9 showed a significant IAA production (41μg mL-1), solubilized P (749.1 μg mL-1), growth promotion of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) was evaluated using paper towel method and greenhouse conditions. S. puniceus RHPR9 showed a significant increase in seed vigor index (2047) and increase in plant biomass (65%) when compared to uninoculated control. To our knowledge, this is the first report on epiphytic S. puniceus RHPR9 isolated from an endangered medicinal plant C. fenestratum Gaertn, for biosurfactant production and plant growth promotion activities.

Nanoparticles being the backbone of nanotechnology gain more attention nowadays as they are entirely different from the colloids and also exhibit unique electrochemical, physical, and optical properties corresponding to their dimensions and shape. The core concept of getting nanoparticles from metal colloids lies on the traditional approach that is applied in both conventional and mechanical methods these days. Among those, the techniques that rely on the biological systems for the generation of nanoparticles have more merits and precedence over other environmental mechanisms as this mitigates the expense as well as toxicity. Considering both nutritional and medicinal values of mushrooms, they were properly managed, adopted, and accustomed in distinct skills to get desired products of nanosizes. Gold is commonly known as a noble metal, and it owns enormous medicinal values since long time in history. Here, a mycosynthesis approach was applied; by the way, the mushroom Laetiporus versisporus and gold ions collaborate to bring out gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized by the involvement of Laetiporus versisporus. Mycosynthesis deals with an environmentally friendly process that leads to the extracellular synthesis of AuNPs. The Laetiporus versisporus were collected from hills of Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. The gold source turned into ultrafiner particles which were then computed and monitored through UV-Vis spectrophotometer and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the texture of particles was affirmed with the help of peaks originated in X-ray diffraction (XRD). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques and scanning electron microscope (SEM) unveiled spherical AuNPs, and the overall scale of which was figured as 10 nm. Various concentrations of AuNPs by the concentration of extracted Laetiporus versisporus were evaluated for antioxidant activity using the standard in vitro methods like ferrous ion chelating effect, nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay, and DPPH assay activity.

The synthesis of biologically active 1,4-dihyripyridine derivatives using a Calotropis gigantea leaf powder and ZnO NPs used as catalyst under solvent-free conditions at room temperature via grinding method has been established in a single-stage, mild, and environmentally friendly green process. The procedure is fast and effective and produces high yields. Three cancer cell lines were used to assess the cytotoxic activity of 1,4-dihyropyridine derivatives. The cytotoxicity of 1,4-dihyropyridine compound 1f (HepG2, LC50-0.50 μM, MCF-7, LC50-0.64 μM, and HeLa, LC50-0.52 μM) was found to be highly active. The synthesized derivatives demonstrated their safety by causing substantially less cytotoxicity in normal cell lines HEK-293, LO2, and MRC5 with IC 50 > 100 g/mL. As a result, compound 1f could serve as a high-impact molecule for the production of anticancer drugs in the future.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO

Pesticide overuse can have negative effects on developmental processes of non-target host plants. By increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, pesticides negatively affect cellular metabolism, biochemistry and physiological machinery of plants. Considering these problems, the current study was planned to assess the effect of three different groups of pesticides, namely diazinon (DIZN), imidacloprid (IMID) and mancozeb (MNZB) on