Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are attractive substrates for new medicinal treatments. Biochar is pyrolyzed biomass. Its porous architecture allows it to hold and gather minuscule particles, through which nanoparticles can accumulate in its porous structure. This study examined AgNPs’ antibacterial and anticancer properties alone and combined with biochar. Methods: The fungus Emericella dentata was responsible for biosynthesis of AgNPs. The characterization of AgNPs using STEM images and a Zetasizer was carried out. Accordingly, the antibacterial and antiproliferation activity of AgNPs and biochar was studied using MIC and MTT assays, respectively. To evaluate the antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of AgNPs with biochar, VEGF and cytokines including TNF alpha, IL-6 and IL-beta were tested using an ELISA assay. Results: The size of the AgNPs ranged from 10 to 80 nm, with more than 70% of them being smaller than 40 nm. The combination of AgNPs and biochar enhanced the antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria. Furthermore, this combination showed antiproliferative properties against HT29 cancer cells with high selectivity to fibroblasts at low concentrations. AgNPs with biochar significantly reduced VEGF and proinflammatory cytokine expression levels. Conclusions: Biochar and AgNPs may be novel treatments for bacteria and colorectal cancer cells, according to the current findings.

The use of the synthetic drugs has increased in the last few decades; however, these drugs exhibit various side effects. Scientists are therefore seeking alternatives from natural sources. Commiphora gileadensis has long been used to treat various disorders. It is commonly known as bisham or balm of Makkah. This plant contains various phytochemicals, including polyphenols and flavonoids, with biological potential. We found that steam-distilled essential oil of C. gileadensis exhibited higher antioxidant activity (IC_50, 22.2 µg/mL) than ascorbic acid (IC_50, 1.25 µg/mL). The major constituents (>2%) in the essential oil were β-myrcene, nonane, verticiol, β-phellandrene, β-cadinene, terpinen-4-ol, β-eudesmol, α-pinene, cis-β-copaene and verticillol, which might be responsible for the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The extract of C. gileadensis exhibited inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenase (IC_50, 450.1 µg/mL), xanthine oxidase (251.2 µg/mL) and protein denaturation (110.5 µg/mL) compared to standard treatments, making it a viable treatment from a natural plant source. LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of phenolic compounds such as caffeic acid phenyl ester, hesperetin, hesperidin, chrysin and transient amounts of catechin, gallic acid, rutin and caffeic acid. The chemical constituents of this plant can be explored further to investigate its wide variety of therapeutic potential.

Bioremediation aspects of crude oil-polluted fields can be achieved by isolating and identifying bacterial species from oil-contaminated soil. This allows for the selection of the most active isolates and the enhancement of the effectiveness of other bacteria. This project will be a...

Protease inhibitors have considerable applications in biomedicine, biotechnology, and therapy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the methanol crude extracts of aerial portions of Portulaca  oleracea (P. oleracea) for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and protease inhibitor activities, and to evaluate their inhibitory action against various therapeutically significant proteases. A modified colorimetric assay was used to analyze the protease inhibitors on trypsin and other therapeutic enzymes. P. oleracea crude leaf extract exhibited 79.92% antioxidant and 75% anti-inflammatory activity. Analysis of the effects of crude P. oleracea extract on the values of enzyme kinetics (Km, Vmax) was determined by Lineweaver-Burk reciprocal plot. It was found that the extract exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on the Vmax (µmole/min) of the chymotrypsin 26.0, trypsin 18.0, papain 8.33, and elastase 10.0, when compared to control 41.0, 73.0, 11.11, and 20.3, respectively. While no effect on Km except for elastase which was decreased from 0.026 mM for the control to 0.01 mM. It was found that this effect showed a powerful inhibition in a different way. There is a mixed non-competitive inhibition on elastase as well as pure non-competitive inhibition on chymotrypsin, trypsin, and papain. The crude extract contained 53.3%, 55.7%, 14.9%, and 26.9%, respectively, of protease inhibitors for the therapeutic protease enzymes trypsin, papain, chymotrypsin, and elastase. Therefore, trypsin, papain, chymotrypsin, and elastase have been inhibited by the crude extract of P. oleracea. Characterization of the crude extract indicated potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Cancer remains a formidable global health challenge, with therapeutic resistance and disease relapse frequently attributed to the persistence of a resilient subpopulation of cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). These cells, characterized by self-renewal capacity, continuous proliferation, and multi-lineage differentiation potential, drive tumorigenesis, metastasis, and evade conventional therapies. Traditional cancer treatments often fail to eradicate CSCs, leading to their enrichment post-therapy and subsequent tumor recurrence. This comprehensive review explores two innovative and interconnected therapeutic paradigms for targeting CSCs: ferroptosis and metabostemness. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death distinct from apoptosis, offers a promising avenue to overcome apoptosis resistance prevalent in many cancers, including CSCs, by inducing lethal lipid peroxidation. Concurrently, “metabostemness” describes the unique metabolic reprogramming of CSCs, encompassing alterations in glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, which are critical for maintaining their stemness, survival, and resistance to treatment. This review synthesizes the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis and metabostemness in CSCs, highlighting emerging small-molecule strategies designed to exploit these vulnerabilities. The discussion includes direct ferroptosis inducers and compounds that sensitize CSCs to ferroptosis by disrupting their aberrant metabolic pathways. Furthermore, the synergistic potential of combining ferroptosis induction with metabolic inhibitors to enhance therapeutic efficacy and circumvent drug resistance is explored. Finally, the significant challenges in clinical translation, including issues of specificity, systemic toxicity, and tumor heterogeneity, are addressed, while proposing advanced drug delivery systems and integrated multi-omics approaches as crucial future directions for realizing the full potential of these novel anti-CSC strategies in precision oncology.