Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and is ranked as the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Schinus molle (S. mole) L. is an important medicinal plant that contains many bioactive compounds with pharmacological properties. The role of S. molle leaf extract in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was determined. The biosynthesized AgNPs were thoroughly characterized by UV–vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effect of the biosynthesized AgNPs using S. molle (SMAgNPs) against HepG2 liver cancer cells was investigated. Reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis induction, DNA damage, and autophagy activity were analyzed. The results clearly showed that the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 by significantly (p < 0.05) inducing oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, DNA damage, apoptosis, and autophagy in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These findings may encourage integrating the potential of natural products and the efficiency of silver nanoparticles for the fabrication of safe, environmentally friendly, and effective anticancer agents.

The present study was conducted to demonstrate cytotoxicity, apoptosis and hepatic damage induced by gemcitabine in laboratory mice. Animals were treated with a single dose of gemcitabine (415 mg/kg body wt), equivalent to a human therapeutic dose, and sacrificed after 1, 2 and 3 weeks. A significant decrease in mean body weight and absolute liver weight was registered. The levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were increased as a result of this induced stress. Various structural changes were observed in the liver tissue of treated mice, as evident in the histological sections. Specifically, gemcitabine exposure was able to induce apoptosis in liver cells, and the incidence of TUNEL positive liver cells was increased compared to the control group. DNA fragmentation appeared on agarose gel and flow cytometry analysis confirmed the induction of apoptosis. These findings in gemcitabine-treated animal tissues suggest that inhibition or disruption of cells’ DNA synthesis may be the mechanism by which this drug induces toxicity in the animal body.

Despite the commercial value of potassium bromate (KBrO₃), it has been linked to many diseases including cancer. Capparis spinosa possesses exceptional ethnobotanical, pharmaceutical, and economic prominence by virtue of its bioactive components. The present study was designed to explore the protective role and antioxidant potential of ethanolic leaves extract of C. spinosa against the oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and apoptosis induced by KBrO₃ in an experimental animal model. The results of the study revealed remarkable diminution in the levels of oxidative stress in all the treatment groups. C. spinosa extract attenuated the toxic effects of KBrO₃ significantly ( < 0.05) in a time- and dose-dependent manner by restoring the normal levels of ROS and antioxidative enzymes in serum and liver tissues. The extract also abolished the oxidative DNA damage as it was evident in decreased frequency of micronuclei. A marked increase in viable cells was observed in annexin-V apoptosis assay. In conclusion, the findings of the present study demonstrate that ethanolic leaves extract of C. spinosa has considerable protective effects against KBrO₃-induced toxicity in experimental mice which is attributed to its antioxidant activity. Therefore, leaves of C. spinosa could be used as a potential source of natural antioxidant and bioactive compounds.

Background: Thymus daenensis is a phenol-rich species of the Thymus genus that possesses many biological and pharmaceutical activities. Methods: This study used five groups of TDLE extract (50, 100, 200 and mg/mL). Distilled water and mebendazole (10 mg/ml) were used as negative and positive controls. Five worms of similar size were placed in each Petri plate, together with the extract test solution (20 mL). The present work aims to study the phytochemical profiling, evaluation of anticancer properties and in vitro oocysticidal activity of methanolic T. daenensis leaves extracts (TDLE). Results: Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) of TDLE proved eleven different active classes of chemical compounds. The extract is characterized by higher phenolic contents (250.5±2.7 mg/g of gallic acid) and flavonoids (25±0.3 mg/g of quercetin). Also, TDLE showed moderate cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and lung cancer cell lines (A549) using MTT assay with LC50 attributed to 388.66±3.5 ìg/ml and 354.33±2.5 ìg/ml, respectively. The in-vitro study revealed that TDLE concentrations of 300 mg/ml caused significant suppression of Eimeria. papillata oocysts sporulation and increased percent of sporulation inhibition compared to the other commercial products which showed different levels of sporulation. Our findings indicate that TDLE has anticoccidial activity, which encourages the conduct of numerous In vivo investigations to find an effective treatment.

Background: German cockroaches are the most common cockroach species in the world. Although German cockroach infestations occur in many human-inhabited spaces, they are most commonly associated with restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, nursing homes. It’s also carried viruses, protozoa and infectious bacteria on the outside and inside of body surfaces and play a role in causing dizziness, asthma and nausea reactions in people. So, Blattella germanica is considered as an important medical and economic. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Nerium oleander extract against cockroaches and inhibition hatching eggs in vitro using a dipping method test. Two graduated concentrations of extract (50 and 100 mg/ml) were tested at different periods and changes over time in the viability of cockroaches were registered for (1 and 2 hours) and in relation to Inhibition hatching eggs after 30 days. Distilled water and cypermethrin (0.1%) were used as negative and positive control, respectively. A chemical assay was performed by FT-IR to investigate the presence of several anticipated active chemical compounds in Nerium oleander leaf extract. Result: The analysis of phytochemicals by FT-IR for alcoholic extracts of Nerium oleander extracts revealed the presence of 12 effective chemical ingredients such as carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides and tannins. The results showed that the extract had high efficacy in killing Cockroaches that were exposed to a high concentration of extract (100 mg/mL), the mortality rate was (90 and 100%), compared to the (cypermethrin 0.1%), the mortality rate was (70 and 100%) during the periods (1 and 2 hr) respectively. While the eggs cockroaches that were exposed to concentration of extract (100 mg/mL) and positive control (cypermethrin 0.1%) the hatching rate was (60 and 60%) after 30 days period respectively. While the negative control (without treated) was the hatching eggs cockroaches rate is (100%) during that period.

Background: Echinococcus granulosus is a type of taeniid tapeworm, present in the small intestine of its primary hosts, including dogs and occasionally in other carnivores. The larval stage of E. granulosus causes cystic hydatidosis in humans and livestock. Although most hydatid cysts are found in the liver and lungs, the disease can occur anywhere in the body. Therefore, Hydatidosis remains a problem and causes significant economic losses in animals. Methods: A study was performed to evaluate the activity of the leaves Nerium oleander extract on the viability of protoscolices. We used three graduated concentrations of extract (10, 30 and 50 mg/ml). 2 ml of the protoscolices suspension (containing at least 2700 protoscolices) was placed in test tubes using a Pasteur pipette. Then, 2 ml of various concentrations of the Nerium oleander extract were added to each test tube and mixed gently, incubated at 37°C for 5, 10, 20 and 30 min. One control group was kept that contain normal saline. The viability of protoscolices was evaluated by eosin method where, protoscolices suspension was mixed with 0.1% eosin for 5 minutes. The dead protoscolices absorb eosin and becomes red, whereas the live protoscolices remains colorless. Before drawing the conclusion, each experiment was performed thrice. Result: The analysis of phytochemicals by FT-IR for alcoholic extracts of Nerium oleander extracts revealed the presence of 12 effective chemical ingredients. Nerium oleander extract showed the strongest scolicidal effect (85.6, 92.3%) after 20 and 30 min at a concentration of 50 mg/ml, respectively moderately (69.3%) after 30 min at 30 mg/ml and lowest (41.9%) after 30 min at 10 mg/ml. Microscopic examinations of dead protoscolices showed distortion of their morphology and degenerative effects. These effects were characterized by loss of hooks, or presence of free hooks and dissolution and rupture of the protoscolices wall. It can be concluded from this study that ethanol extract of Nerium oleander is effective against Protoscolies in vitro.