Toward Understanding the Anticancer Activity of the Phytocompounds from Using Molecular Docking, in silico Toxicity and Dynamics Studies.

Background: The Surinam cherry, belongs to the family Myrtaceae, an edible fruit-bearing medicinal plant with various biological properties. Several anticancer studies have been conducted on its essential oils while the non-essential oil compounds including phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids have not been fully investigated.

Purpose: Therefore, the study evaluated the in silico anticancer potentials of phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoid compounds of against the MDM2 and Bcl-xL proteins, which are known to promote cancer cell growth and malignancy.

Extraction, Characterization, and Antioxidant Activity of Pectin from Lemon Peels.

Pectin is a natural polymer that is found in the cell walls of higher plants. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of pectin extracted from lemon in two different geographic regions (Peddie and Fort Beaufort) in two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) named PP 2023, PP 2024, FBP 2023, and FBP 2024. The dried lemon peels were ground into a powder, sifted to obtain particles of 500 μm, and then subjected to pectin extraction using a conventional method involving mixing lemon peel powder with distilled water, adjusting the pH level to 2.

as an Herbal Ingredient: Problems and Prospects.

, otherwise known as hemp, is discussed to highlight the various problems and prospects associated with its use as an herbal ingredient. The chemical composition of hemp, with classification based on cannabinoid contents, its biological activities, current global scenarios and legality issues, economic importance, and future prospects, are discussed.

Molecular Docking Approach for Biological Interaction of Green Synthesized Nanoparticles.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the subject of nanotechnology, with a range of methods developed to synthesize precise-sized and shaped nanoparticles according to particular requirements. Often, the nanoparticles are created by employing dangerous reducing chemicals to reduce metal ions into uncharged nanoparticles. Green synthesis or biological approaches have been used recently to circumvent this issue because biological techniques are simple, inexpensive, safe, clean, and extremely productive.

Wastes from Part of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa: Medicinal, Sustainable Agricultural, and Bio-Resource Potential.

The fruits of are often purchased for their vitamin C-rich juice, while the fruit peel and the tree leaves are discarded as wastes. This study obtained the chemical profiles of the essential oils (EOs) of wastes (the peel and leaves), evaluated their medicinal value as antioxidants, their potential for sustainable use in agriculture as an insecticide for post-harvest preservation of grains, and their potential as a bioresource in livestock feed formulations. The EOs were isolated from leaves and peel using a hydro-distillation method on a Clevenger apparatus.

Therapeutic Potential of Pectin and Its Derivatives in Chronic Diseases.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are described as a collection of chronic diseases that do not typically develop from an acute infection, have long-term health effects, and frequently require ongoing care and therapy. These diseases include heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic lung disease, neurological diseases, osteoporosis, mental health disorders, etc. Known synthetic drugs for the treatment or prevention of NCDs become increasingly dangerous over time and pose high risks due to side effects such as hallucination, heart attack, liver failure, etc.

Chemical Composition, Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Essential Oils from Eastern Cape, South Africa.

species are native to South Africa, and they have a long history in medicinal use. This study aimed to extract essential oils from different parts of , determine the chemical composition of the essential oils, and assess the essential oils' biological potential as analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distilling different parts of , and the essential profile was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS.

Steroids and Fatty Acid Esters from Leaf and Their Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Elastase Properties.

(CS) is a plant in the sedges family (Cyperaceae) that grows abundantly in swampy areas. The leaf sheath of plants in the Cyperus genus are mostly used domestically for mat making, while they are implicated for skin treatment in traditional medicine. The plant was investigated for its phytochemical contents as well as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-elastase properties.

Essential Oils and Their Compounds as Potential Anti-Influenza Agents.

Essential oils (EOs) are chemical substances, mostly produced by aromatic plants in response to stress, that have a history of medicinal use for many diseases. In the last few decades, EOs have continued to gain more attention because of their proven therapeutic applications against the flu and other infectious diseases. Influenza (flu) is an infectious zoonotic disease that affects the lungs and their associated organs.

Polyphenolic Contents, Free Radical Scavenging and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activities of Leaf Extracts.

A decoction of leaves has been used ethnomedicinally for the treatment of mental illness and inflammatory diseases amongst other diseases. In this study, the leaf methanol extract of and its partition fractions: n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous, were tested and evaluated for their polyphenolic contents, free radical scavenging and cholinesterase inhibitory activities. The total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and proanthocyanidin (TPA) contents were determined using standard colorimetric methods.

Biogenic Synthesis of CuO, ZnO, and CuO-ZnO Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extracts of and Their Biological Properties.

Biogenic metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a useful tool in biology due to their biocompatibility properties with most biological systems. In this study, we report the synthesis of copper oxide (CuO), zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs), and their nanocomposite (CuO-ZnO) prepared using the phytochemical extracts from the leaves of (kei apple). The physicochemical properties of these nanomaterials were established using some characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX).

Plant-Derived Natural Products as Lead Agents against Common Respiratory Diseases.

Never has the world been more challenged by respiratory diseases (RDs) than it has witnessed in the last few decades. This is evident in the plethora of acute and chronic respiratory conditions, ranging from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza, and more recently, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. Unfortunately, the emergence of drug-resistant strains of pathogens, drug toxicity and side effects are drawbacks to effective chemotherapeutic management of RDs; hence, our focus on natural sources because of their unique chemical diversities and novel therapeutic applications.

Plant Extracts Mediated Metal-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Biological Applications.

The vastness of metal-based nanoparticles has continued to arouse much research interest, which has led to the extensive search and discovery of new materials with varying compositions, synthetic methods, and applications. Depending on applications, many synthetic methods have been used to prepare these materials, which have found applications in different areas, including biology. However, the prominent nature of the associated toxicity and environmental concerns involved in most of these conventional methods have limited their continuous usage due to the desire for more clean, reliable, eco-friendly, and biologically appropriate approaches.

Synthesis, Theoretical Calculation, and Biological Studies of Mono- and Diphenyltin(IV) Complexes of -Methyl--hydroxyethyldithiocarbamate.

In this study, chlorophenyltin(IV) and diphenyltin(IV) of -methyl--hydroxyethyldithiocarbamate were prepared and characterized using various spectroscopic methods (FTIR, H, C, and Sn NMR) and elemental analysis. The FTIR and NMR spectral data, used to establish the structure of the compounds, showed the formation of the complexes via coordination to the two sulfur atoms from the dithiocarbamate ligand and the respective phenyltin(IV) derivatives. This coordination mode was further explored by DFT calculations, which showed that the bonding around the Sn center in was more asymmetric compared to the bonding around .

Stable isotopes analysis and heavy metal contamination in the rocky shore intertidal food web on the east coast of South Africa.

Using a short food web, i.e. from prey (macro-algae) to predator (limpet), this study investigated the concentrations and biomagnification of heavy metals from macro-algae (Ralfsia verrucosa, Ulva lactuca and Gelidium pristoides) to limpet (Scutellastra cochlear, S.

The Medicinal Natural Products of Linn.: A Review.

is known among many cultures for its medicinal potential. Its complexity contributes to the historical application of various parts of the plant in ethno-medicines and pharmacotherapy. has been used for the treatment of rheumatism, epilepsy, asthma, skin burns, pain, the management of sexually transmitted diseases, difficulties during child labor, postpartum hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal activity.

Temporal and spatial variation of heavy metal concentration in four limpet species along the southeast coast of South Africa.

Rocky shores are experiencing heavy metal (HM) pollution as a result of anthropogenic activities. The information on the use of limpets Scutellastra spp. and Cellana sp.

Ursane-Type Triterpenes, Phenolics and Phenolic Derivatives from Leaf.

is a hemi-parasitic plant used in African ethnomedicine for the management of microbial infections, rheumatic pain and tumors amongst others. We report the isolation and characterization of eight compounds with their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The air-dried powdered leaf was macerated in EtOH/H0 (4:1).

Synthesis, computational and biological studies of alkyltin(IV) -methyl--hydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate complexes.

Methyltin(IV) of butyltin(IV)--hydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate complexes, represented as [(CH)Sn(L(OH))] and [(CH)Sn(L(OH))] respectively were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic techniques (H, C and Sn NMR) and elemental analysis. Both infrared and NMR data showed that, the complexes were formed via two sulphur atoms of the dithiocarbamate group. This mode of coordination was further supported by the DFT calculation, which suggested the formation of a distorted octahedral geometry around the tin atom.

Chemical Profiling, Toxicity and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils from Three Grapefruit Cultivars from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

The medicinal potential and volatile composition of different parts of three cultivars of grapefruit () were evaluated for their toxicity and anti-inflammatory activities. Fresh leaf and fruit peel were separately isolated by hydrodistillation for 4 h. The essential oils were subjected to GC/GC-MS analysis for chemical profile.

Human myiasis cases originating and reported in africa for the last two decades (1998-2018): A review.

The article reviews literature on myiasis in Africa and cases that originated in Africa over the last two decades (1998-2018). The relevant literature was obtained by using several databases (Science-Direct, JSTOR, Google Scholar, Ebscohost and PubMed). We searched for the following words or their combination myiasis, maggots, fly species responsible for myiasis found in Africa, and the different types of myiasis.

Antioxidant and Anticholinesterase Activities of (DC) Hiern Relevant in the Management of Alzheimer's Disease.

has been used in many traditional systems of medicine for its anti-hemorrhagic, antidiabetic, anti-ulcer, and anti-diarrhea properties. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitions of the crude methanol extracts and its various partitioned fractions were determined by a modified method of Ellman. An evaluation of the antioxidant activity was carried out using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing power, and nitric oxide scavenging assays.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Properties of in ω-Nitro-l-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME)-Induced Hypertensive Rats.

Oxidative stress has gained attention as one of the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the development of hypertension. The present study investigated in vitro and in vivo antioxidant effects of 70% ethanol-water (/) leaf and root extracts of (TOL and TOR, respectively). Total phenolic and flavonoid content of plant extracts were assessed using Folin Ciocalteau and aluminium chloride colorimetric methods; while, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrlhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) protocols were used to determine the free radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacities (TAC), respectively.

Ursolic Acid and Its Derivatives as Bioactive Agents.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases continue to be threatening and deadly to human kind. Resistance to and side effects of known drugs for treatment further increase the threat, while at the same time leaving scientists to search for alternative sources from nature, especially from plants. Pentacyclic triterpenoids (PT) from medicinal plants have been identified as one class of secondary metabolites that could play a critical role in the treatment and management of several NCDs.