Biological effects of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) vierh. extracts on physiological, biochemical, and antimicrobial activities against three challenging mosquito vectors and microbial pathogens.

Mosquitoes are principal vector of several vector-borne diseases affecting human beings leading to thousands of deaths per year and responsible for transmitting diseases like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika virus, Japanese encephalitis, and lymphatic filariasis. In the present study, we evaluated the different solvent extracts of mangrove Avicennia marina for their toxicity against larvae of three major mosquito vectors, as well as selected microbial pathogens. The larvicidal mortality of third instars was observed after 24 h.

A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Action, Ethanobotanical Uses and Nutritional Potential of Kedrostis foetidissima (Jacq.) Cogn.

Nature is an amazing source for food, shelter, clothing and medicine. An impressive number of modern drugs are isolated from many sources like plants, animals and microbes. The development of natural products from traditional medicines is of great importance to society.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Potential of the Poly Herbal Formulation: Identification of Bioactive Factors.

Background And Objectives: The present investigation is intended to prepare a Poly Herbal Formulation (PHF) with Piper nigrum (fruits), Terminalia paniculata (bark) and Bauhinia purpurea (bark) and assess their antioxidant and glucose-lowering effects utilizing in vitro models.

Methods: The individual plant methanolic extracts and PHF are exposed to phytochemical examination and to distinguish the bioactive factors by GC-MS. We assessed the antioxidant properties of individual plant extracts and the PHF by using the DPPH scavenging method, H2O2 scavenging assay, TBARS assay and total antioxidant estimation.

Antiobesity Effect of Biochanin-A: Effect on Trace Element Metabolism in High Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Rats.

Background: Imbalanced diets have contributed to the increased prevalence of obesity and other metabolic disorders in the modern world including trace element metabolism. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.

Aim And Objectives: The present study investigated the effects of Biochanin A (BCA) on the changes in element metabolism induced by HFD-induced obese rats.

Mitigating Perspectives of Asiatic Acid in the Renal Derangements of Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide Induced Diabetic Rats.

Background: The present study was conducted to evaluate the mitigating effects of Asiatic Acid (AA), on the changes in carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling molecules and renal function markers in Streptozotocin (STZ)-Nicotinamide (NAD) induced diabetic rats.

Methods: AA (20 mg/kg BW) was supplemented orally to the diabetic rats for 42 days. The levels of plasma glucose, Hemoglobin (Hb), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) insulin and renal function markers, carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in the kidney and insulin signaling molecules in skeletal muscle were measured.

Egg Membrane Alteration and Ovicidal Activity of (Roth) Plant Extracts Compared to Synthetic Insect Growth Regulators.

Background: Insecticide resistance among mosquito vectors for synthetic insecticides still remains a major problem for control efforts. This study assessed the ovicidal potential of crude solvent extracts from the medicinal plant comparatively to standard registered synthetic insect growth regulators (IGR) on freshly laid eggs of .

Method: Five plant extracts were prepared using different solvents.

Ascorbic Acid-Assisted Microwave Synthesis of Mesoporous Ag-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanorods from Biowaste Seashells for Implant Applications.

Post-surgery implant infection is one of the most challenging issues in orthopedics and it is mainly caused by infective micro-organisms. A potential approach to overcome this issue is developing biomaterials with efficient antibacterial activity. The main intention of this present research is devoted to ascorbic acid-assisted microwave synthesis of mesoporous (silver) Ag-doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods using biowaste seashells with antibacterial properties.

Tunicates as a biocontrol tool for larvicides acute toxicity of Zika virus vector .

In this present study, we conducted untargeted metabolic profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of ascidian to assess the chemical constituents by searching in NIST library with promising biological properties against anti-bacterial and Zika virus vector mosquitocidal properties. Metabolites, steroids and fatty acids are abundant in crude compounds of ascidian and showed potential zone growth inhibition against bacterial strains (10 mm). The active crude compounds of exhibited prominent larvicidal activity against the Zika vector mosquitoes of (LC values of 0.

Asthma-Alleviating Potential of 6-Gingerol: Effect on Cytokines, Related mRNA and c-Myc, and NFAT1 Expression in Ovalbumin-Sensitized Asthma in Rats.

In this study, we aimed at assessing the therapeutical potential of 6-gingerol ([5S]-5-hydroxy-1-[4-hydroxy- 3-methoxyphenyl]-3-decanone) against ovalbumin-sensitized asthma in rats. The rats were treated intraperitoneally with 6-gingerol (75 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days and a theophylline (200 mg/kg body weight)-treated group as a control. Changes in the levels of T-cell-linked cytokines (interleukin-4 [IL-4], IL-5, IL-13, and interferon-gamma [IFN-?]), total immunoglobulin E (IgE), gene expressions of bitter taste-sensing type 2-receptor 10 (T2R10), inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor 1 (IP3R1), Orai1 and protein expressions of nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFAT1), c-Myc and histopathological changes were observed in rats.

Antiobesity efficacy of asiatic acid: down-regulation of adipogenic and inflammatory processes in high fat diet induced obese rats.

In the current study, we evaluated the effects of Asiatic acid (AA) on lipid metabolic markers in HFD-induced obese Sprague-Dawley rat model. AA (20 mg/kg BW) was administered orally to HFD-fed rats for 42 days. Changes in body composition, glucose, insulin resistance (IR) and lipid profiles of tissues, plasma and the pattern of gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) and its target genes fatty-acid synthase (FAS), adipocyte protein-2 (aP2) and uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2) and pro-inflammatory factor tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were observed in experimental rats.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy: molecular mechanisms, detrimental effects of conventional treatment, and beneficial effects of natural therapy.

Diabetic complications are among the largely exigent health problems currently. Cardiovascular complications, including diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), account for more than 80% of diabetic deaths. Investigators are exploring new therapeutic targets to slow or abate diabetes because of the growing occurrence and augmented risk of deaths due to its complications.

Restorative potentiality of S-allylcysteine against diabetic nephropathy through attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats.

Aim: In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic potentiality of S-allylcysteine (SAC) in streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NAD)-induced diabetic nephropathy (DN) in experimental rats.

Methods: SAC was orally administered for 45 days to rats with STZ-NAD-induced DN; a metformin-treated group was included for comparison. Effect of SAC on body weight, organ weight, blood glucose, levels of insulin, glycated haemoglobin, and renal biochemical markers was determined.

Reversal of high fat diet-induced obesity through modulating lipid metabolic enzymes and inflammatory markers expressions in rats.

In this study, we evaluated the ameliorative potential of Cucurbita maxima seeds oil (CSO (100 mg/kg body weight)) supplementation to high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats for 30 days on the changes in body weight, markers of lipid metabolism such as LDL, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol, adiponectin, leptin, amylase, and lipase. We also investigated the effects of CSO on the changes of lipid metabolic enzymes such as fatty-acid synthase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1, HMG CoA reductase, and inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-6). Administration of CSO revealed significant diminution in body weight gain, altered the activity, expressions of lipid marker enzymes and inflammatory markers.

Beneficial Role of Some Natural Products to Attenuate the Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Through Nrf2 Pathway in Cell Culture and Animal Models.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy, as one of the main cardiac complications in diabetic patients, is identified to connect with oxidative stress that is due to interruption in balance between reactive oxygen species or/and reactive nitrogen species generation and their clearance by antioxidant protection systems. Transcription factor the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a significant role in maintaining the oxidative homeostasis by regulating multiple downstream antioxidants. The Nrf2 plays a significant role in ARE-mediated basal and inducible expression of more than 200 genes that can be grouped into numerous categories as well as antioxidant genes and phase II detoxifying enzymes.

Anti obese potential of Cucurbita maxima seeds oil: effect on lipid profile and histoarchitecture in high fat diet induced obese rats.

In this study, we made an attempt to evaluate the potential of Cucurbita maxima seeds oil (CSO) against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in rats. We investigated the effect of CSO (100 mg/kg body weight) supplementation over 30 days on the changes of HFD-induced obese rats in body weight, biochemical parameters and lipid profile as well as investigated the effects of CSO on the histopathological changes. Oral administration with CSO revealed significant diminution in body weight gain, glucose and insulin levels, which altered the activity of lipid profile and restored the pathological alterations.

Obesity-alleviating potential of asiatic acid and its effects on ACC1, UCP2, and CPT1 mRNA expression in high fat diet-induced obese Sprague-Dawley rats.

The present study evaluated the effects of asiatic acid (AA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid from Centella asiatica on lipid metabolism parameters in a rat model of obesity induced using a high fat diet (HFD) for 42 days. AA (20 mg/kg body weight [BW]) was administered orally once daily for 42 days, and an orlistat-treated group of rats (10 mg/kg BW) was included for comparison. Changes in BW, blood glucose levels, insulin resistance and leptin, adiponectin, amylase, and lipase levels in the blood; lipid profiles of plasma; liver antioxidants levels; and acetyl CoA carboxylase(ACC), uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT1) mRNA expression were observed in the experimental rats.

Novel and environmental friendly approach; Impact of Neem (Azadirachta indica) gum nano formulation (NGNF) on Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) and Spodoptera litura (Fab.).

The future of this study was to prepare a natural pesticide which will not harm the environment and yet control pests. Neem gum nano formulation (NGNF), a novel biopesticide prepared from the Neem gum extract (Azadirachta indica) (NGE) was evaluated for its antifeedant, larvicidal and pupicidal activities against Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) and Spodoptera litura (Fab.

Classification of breast masses in ultrasound images using self-adaptive differential evolution extreme learning machine and rough set feature selection.

A method using rough set feature selection and extreme learning machine (ELM) whose learning strategy and hidden node parameters are optimized by self-adaptive differential evolution (SaDE) algorithm for classification of breast masses is investigated. A pathologically proven database of 140 breast ultrasound images, including 80 benign and 60 malignant, is used for this study. A fast nonlocal means algorithm is applied for speckle noise removal, and multiresolution analysis of undecimated discrete wavelet transform is used for accurate segmentation of breast lesions.

Reversal of endothelial dysfunction in aorta of streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type-2 diabetic rats by S-Allylcysteine.

Dietary measures and plant-based therapies as prescribed by native systems of medicine have gained attraction among diabetics with claims of efficacy. The present study investigated the effects of S-Allylcysteine (SAC) on body weight gain, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and nitric oxide synthase in plasma and argininosuccinate synthase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL), lipid peroxides and antioxidant enzymes in aorta of control and streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced diabetic rats. Changes in body weight, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and antioxidant profiles of aorta and mRNA expressions of nitric oxide synthase, AS, and ASL were observed in experimental rats.

Spectral characterization and antibacterial activity of an isolated compound from Memecylon edule leaves.

Memecylon edule Roxb. (Melastamataceae family) is a small evergreen tree reported as having ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties. The present study was aimed to investigate the spectral characterization and antibacterial activity of isolated pure compound (3β-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (ursolic acid)) from Memecylon edule leaves by performing bioassay guided isolation method.

Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and cytotoxic properties of thiosemicarbazide Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes.

Synthesis of new complexes of Ni(II) (1) and Zn(II) (2) with [1-(2-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzylidene)-4-phenylthiosemicarbazide] have been reported. The composition of these two complexes 1 and 2 is discussed on the basis of IR, (1)H NMR and UV spectral data along with their X-ray crystallographic data. The crystal structure of these two complexes has revealed that the free ligand (L) is deprotonated twice at the oxygen and sulfur atoms and they are coordinated with the complexes through phenoxide-O, azomethine-N and thiolate-S atoms.