In recent years scientists have focused on the identification and the application of natural products for inactivation of mycotoxins. Essential oils with antimicrobial properties are probably the most promising method for the prevention of potentially toxigenic fungi. Thus the aim of this work is to characterise star anise (Illicium verum) and to assess its antioxidant and antifungal and antimycotoxigenic properties using different methods. Results revealed that the major components of star anise essential oil identified by GC/MS were trans-anethole (82.7%), carryophyllene (4.8%) and limonene (2.3%). Total phenolics of ethanol and methanol extracts recorded 112.4 and 96.3mgGAE/gDW respectively, whereas higher total flavonoid content was recorded for the ethanol extract than the methanol extract. Star anise essential oil showed lower antioxidant activity (55.6mg/mL) than the extracts using DPPH-scavenging and β-carotene/linoleic acid assays. Results revealed growth reduction of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus and Fusarium verticillioides by 83.2%, 72.8% and 65.11%, respectively when using 100ppm of the star anise essential oil, where a complete inhibition was achieved at 200ppm for A. flavus and A. parasiticus respectively. Aflatoxin B1 and Fumonisin B1 production were inhibited completely at 100 and 200ppm respectively. It could be concluded that star anise extracts could be considered an important substance that should be explored for the discovery and development of newer and safer food supplements as well as drug products

Recently, the application of nanotechnology in food sector and the agriculture attract the attention compared to its biomedical application. The aims of the current study was to synthesize and characterize cobalt ferrites nanoparticles [(CoFe2O4) NPs] by combustion method employing glycine as fuels and to evaluate their antimicrobial against pathogenic bacteria and fungi and anti cancer properties against MCF-7 breast cancer cells line. The results indicated that the particles size of the synthesized (CoFe2O4) NPs was 40 nm. These (CoFe2O4) NPs showed potential antibacterial properties against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus) as well as the pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus ochraceus) in a dose dependent manner with maximum concentration of 1.8 mg/ml. (CoFe2O4) NPs also showed weak antiradical but have cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 breast cancer cells line and succeeded to decrease the cell viability at a concentration of 2 mg/ml. It could be concluded that (CoFe2O4) NPs is a promise candidate as antimicrobial and anticancer agent for food sector and medical application.

Diabetes is a drastic health problem resulting from an endocrine disorder. M. parviflora L. might represent an antioxidant-rich food source and thus applies to pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications in oxidative stress-related degenerative diseases. In the current work, we assessed the antidiabetic activity of M. parviflora L. leaves extract and its nano-formulation in rats. M. parviflora L. bioactivity was evaluated by both antioxidant and antimicrobial assays. The nano-formulation characteristics (Mass, TEM, and Zeta potential) were evaluated. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally for only one dose (35 mg/kg body weight). All of the nutritional and biochemical parameters were statistically analyzed. The results showed that M. parviflora L. is rich in phenolics and flavonoids with high antioxidant action. The antifungal activity of the extract was evident, especially with Fusarium culmorum and aspergillus flavus. The extract and its nano-formulation have shown antidiabetic properties when tested on diabetic rats as they improved all the biochemical parameters; decreased glucose level in serum, increased insulin production, marked improvement in lipid profile, liver and kidney functions, and that was more proved with the histopathological examinations. Conclusively, M. parviflora L. extract and its nano-formulation could attenuate or effectively help in controlling diabetes through its therapeutic properties exhibited by the action of the plant antioxidant components.

This work focuses on tracking stomach ulcer localized in mice. High labeling yield and radiochemical purity were achieved for the formation of a [¹²⁵I]esomeprazole radiotracer at optimum conditions of oxidizing agent content (chloramines-T (Ch-T), 100 μg), substrate amount (Esom, 100 μg), pH of reaction mixture (6), reaction time (30 min) and temperature (37 °C), using radioactive iodine-125 (200–450 MBq). The radiolabeled compound, [¹²⁵I]esom, was stable in serum and saline solution during 24 h. Esom is acting as a histamine-2-receptor antagonist (H₂RA). Biodistribution studies were carried in normal and ulcerated mice. High uptake of 78.12 ± 0.80% injected dose/g organ (ID/g) observed in ulcerated mice confirmed the suitability of [¹²⁵I]esomeprazole as a novel radiotracer for stomach imaging.

Zearalenone (ZEN) which is one of the known fusarium species mycotoxin, produced primarily on many cereal crops. Consequently, the current study aims to estimate the possibility of labeling zearalenone and the pattern of accumulation of the produced labeled zearalenone [¹²⁵I]-ZEN in different mice tissues, and the possible protective effect of Lactobacillus plantarum to reduce organ accumulation of Zearalenone. the experiment was conducted on two groups of mice were used; the two groups received [¹²⁵I] Zearalenone administered by tail vein injection, the first group receive nothing else while the second group received also L. plantarum (as a control agent) orally. The mice were kept under observation for 120 min to monitor zearalenone distribution. by monitoring the zearalenone distribution the maximum concentration was found to be mainly primarily in the intestine (45.8 %) followed by the liver (27.15 %) while in the ovary (the most susceptible organ was (3.22 %) after120 min, in the first group of mice. The same pattern was observed in the second group with concentrations of (46.1 %), (30.19 %) and (0.09 %) in the intestine, liver respectively. These results indicated the lactic acid bacteria played a role in decreasing labeled zearalenone in the ovaries which is the target organ. [¹²⁵I]-labeled ZEN is a promising novel tracer for organ imaging and that a significant role that L. plantarum could play in decreasing the zearalenone bioavailability of in mice organs.