Introduction: Owing to their great quantity of hydrolyzable anthocyanins and tannins, the peel and seeds of pomegranate are edible and possess potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. This work aims to trace the pomegranate seed and peel ethanolic extracts’ anticancer activity against liver cancer cell line, namely HepG2 and related histopathological, immunohistochemical, genetic and oxidative stress profile. Methods: In vitro study for both seed and peel extract showed the prevalence of phenols, polyphenols and acids, those have anti-proliferative potential against liver cancer cell line (HepG2) with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of seed significantly reduced that of peel. Toxicity of test extracts was concentration dependent and accompanied with cell cycle arrest and cell death at theG0/G1 and S phases but not at the G2/M phase. Cell arrest was supplemented with raised ROS, MDA and decreased SOD, GSH and Catalase. Results and discussion: Apoptosis-related genes showed significant up-expression of pro-apoptotic gene (P53), Cy-C, Bax, and casp-3 and down expression of anti-apoptotic gene (Bcl-2). Also, Casp-3 and P53 proteins were substantially expressed under the effect of test extracts. Histopathological study demonstrated that the untreated cells (control group) were regular cells with nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromatic nuclei, while seed and peel extracts-treated cells showed necrosis, mixed euchromatin and heterochromatin, intra-nuclear eosinophilic structures, burst cell membranes, and the shrunken apoptotic cells with nuclear membranes and irregular cells. Finally, PCNA gene detected by immunohistochemistry was down regulated significantly under the effect of seed extract treatment than in case of cell medication with peel extract.

Shebl RI, et al. Clin Exp Vaccine Res. 2021 Sep;10(3):229-239. https://doi.org/10.7774/cevr.2021.10.3.229

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major hepatic disorder occurring in non-alcohol-drinking individuals. Salvianic acid A or Danshensu (DSS, 3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-(2R)-lactic acid), derived from the root of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), has demonstrated heart and liver protective properties. In this work, we investigated the antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective activity of Danshensu alone and in combination with different agents, such as probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus acidophilus), against several assays. The inhibition mechanism of the methylation gene biomarkers, such as DNMT-1, MS, STAT-3, and TET-1, against DSS was evaluated by molecular docking and RT-PCR techniques. The physicochemical and pharmacokinetic ADMET properties of DSS were determined by SwissADME and pkCSM. The results indicated that all lipid blood test profiles, including cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were reduced after the oral administration of Danshensu combined with probiotics (L. casei and L. acidophilus) that demonstrated good, efficient free radical scavenging activity, measured using anti-oxidant assays. ADMET and drug-likeness properties certify that the DSS could be utilized as a feasible drug since DSS showed satisfactory physicochemical and pharmacokinetic ADMET properties.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) induces the production of reactive oxygen species, which may lead to cell injury and death. This study aimed to assess the effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) on testicular damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic albino mice. DM in four- to six-week-old BALB/c male albino mice was induced via 50 mg/kg STZ, IP for 5 days. Twelve mice were randomly assigned into each of following groups: a control group, a diabetic (DM) group, RA5 mg/kg and RA15 mg/kg groups, and DM + RA5 mg/kg and DM + RA15 mg/kg groups. RA doses were intraperitoneally injected six times a week for seven weeks. Diabetes increased blood sugar and HbA1c levels and decreased all assessed sperm parameters. Testicular tissues of the diabetic mice showed increased lipid peroxidation, decreased reduced glutathione levels and catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, and increased apoptosis associated with histological abnormalities. Both RA doses had no effects on final body weight, blood sugar, and HbA1c in the diabetic mice. It is concluded that the administration of the potent antioxidant RA to diabetic mice improved the redox status in testicular tissues, protected them from diabetes-induced oxidative damage, and improved the quality of spermatozoa, mostly in a dose-dependent manner, which suggests a potential application value of RA in treating DM-related testicular injury and perhaps other complications.

Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are classified as high-risk infections that can lead to death, particularly among older individuals. Nowadays, plant nanoparticles such as glycyrrhizic acid are recognized as efficient bactericides against a wide range of bacterial strains. Recently, scientists have shown interest in plant extract nanoparticles, derived from natural sources, which can be synthesized into nanomaterials. Interestingly, glycyrrhizic acid is rich in antioxidants as well as antibacterial agents, and it exhibits no adverse effects on normal cells. In this study, glycyrrhizic acid nanoparticles (GA-NPs) were synthesized using the hydrothermal method and characterized through physicochemical techniques such as UV–visible spectrometry, DLS, zeta potential, and TEM. The antimicrobial activity of GA-NPs was investigated through various methods, including MIC assays, anti-biofilm activity assays, ATPase activity assays, and kill-time assays. The expression levels of mecA, mecR1, blaR1, and blaZ genes were measured by quantitative RT-qPCR. Additionally, the presence of the penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) protein of S. aureus and MRSA was evaluated by a Western blot assay. The results emphasized the fabrication of GA nanoparticles in spherical shapes with a diameter in the range of 40–50 nm. The data show that GA nanoparticles exhibit great bactericidal effectiveness against S. aureus and MRSA. The treatment with GA-NPs remarkably reduces the expression levels of the mecA, mecR1, blaR1, and blaZ genes. PBP2a expression in MRSA was significantly reduced after treatment with GA-NPs. Overall, this study demonstrates that glycyrrhizic acid nanoparticles have potent antibacterial activity, particularly against MRSA. This research elucidates the inhibition mechanism of glycyrrhizic acid, which involves the suppressing of PBP2a expression. This work emphasizes the importance of utilizing plant nanoparticles as effective antimicrobial agents against a broad spectrum of bacteria.