Complications of chronic non-healing wounds led to the emergence of nanotechnology-based therapies to enhance healing, facilitate tissue repair, and prevent wound-related complications like infections. Here, we design alpha lipoic acid (ALA) conjugated hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and boron carbide (B₄C) nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance wound healing in human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) cell culture and characterize its antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, gram positive) and Escherichia coli (E. coli, gram negative) bacterial strains. ALA molecules are integrated onto hBN and C₄B NPs through esterification procedure, and molecular characterizations are performed by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-vis spectroscopy. Wound healing and antimicrobial properties are investigated via the use of cell viability assays, scratch test, oxidative stress, and antimicrobial activity assays. Based on our analysis, we observe that ALA-conjugated hBN NPs have the highest wound-healing feature and antimicrobial activity compared to ALA-B₄C. On the other hand, hBN, ALA-B₄C, and ALA compounds showed promising regenerative and antimicrobial properties. Also, we find that ALA conjugation enhances wound healing and antimicrobial potency of hBN and B₄C NPs. We conclude that the ALA-hBN conjugate is a potential candidate to stimulate regeneration process for injuries.

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) is an enzyme that metabolizes several chemicals, including dopamine. MAO-B inhibitors are used in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and the inhibition of this enzyme reduces dopamine turnover and oxidative stress. The absence of dopamine results in PD pathogenesis originating from decreased Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and elevated oxidative stress. Here, we performed a molecular docking analysis for the potential use of costunolide and parthenolide terpenoids as potential MAO-B inhibitors in the treatment of PD. Neuroprotective properties of plant-originated costunolide and parthenolide terpenoids were investigated in a cellular PD model that was developed by using MPP⁺ toxicity. We investigated neuroprotection mechanisms through the analysis of oxidative stress parameters, acetylcholinesterase activity and apoptotic cell death ratios. Our results showed that 100 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL of costunolide, and 50 µg/mL of parthenolide applied to the cellular disease model ameliorated the cytotoxicity caused by MPP⁺ exposure. We found that acetylcholinesterase activity assays exhibited that terpenoids could ameliorate and restore the enzyme activity as in negative control levels. The oxidative stress parameter analyses revealed that terpenoid application could enhance antioxidant levels and decrease oxidative stress in the cultures. In conclusion, we reported that these two terpenoid molecules could be used in the development of efficient treatment strategies for PD patients.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and cancer are multifactorial diseases with significant health consequences, and their relationship with aging makes them particularly challenging. Epidemiological data suggests that individuals with DM are more susceptible to certain cancers. This study examined the bioactive properties of Hypericum scabrum extracts, including methanol, hexane, and others, focusing on their inhibitory effects on key enzymes associated with DM and neurodegenerative diseases, such as acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. Additionally, the impact of these extracts on human fibroblast (HDFa) and glioblastoma (U87MG) cancer cells was evaluated. The methanol extract was analyzed for elemental composition using ICP-MS, secondary metabolites, and amino acids via LC–MS/MS and underwent morphological and anatomical characterization. The methanol extract demonstrated notable inhibitory activity, with an IC₅₀ value of < 1 µg/mL against α-glucosidase, surpassing acarbose in efficacy. The flower essential oil exhibited the highest inhibition (79.95%) of butyrylcholinesterase and the strongest acetylcholinesterase inhibition (21.62%). Elemental analysis revealed high concentrations of Na and K, while quinic acid and proline were identified as major metabolites, with proline concentrations reaching 494.0482 nmol/mL in the aerial part extract. The anticancer assays revealed higher cytotoxicity in U87MG glioblastoma cells compared to HDFa fibroblasts, suggesting potential applications for cancer therapy. The plant grows 20–50 cm tall, with yellow flowers and ovoid-ribbed capsules containing brown, reniform seeds. Its leaves are amphistomatic and ornamented, while stems feature striate cuticles and paracytic stomata. The pollen grains are microreticulate with syncolporate apertures. These results underscore the promising therapeutic potential of H. scabrum in managing DM, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, with its ability to inhibit key enzymes and show selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Graphical abstract

Background and Objectives: Favipiravir (FPV) is an antiviral medication and has an inhibitory effect on Cytochrome P450 (CYP2C8) protein, which is mainly involved in drug metabolism in the liver, and the expression of this gene is known to be enhanced in neuronal cells. The metabolization of Paclitaxel (PTX), a chemotherapeutic drug used in cancer patients, was analyzed for the first time in the human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line for monitoring possible synergistic effects when administered with FPV. Materials and Methods: Further, in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic evaluations of FPV and PTX were also performed using wide concentration ranges in a human fibroblast cell culture (HDFa). Nuclear abnormalities were examined under a fluorescent microscope using the Hoechst 33258 fluorescent staining technique. In addition, the synergistic effects of these two drugs on cultured SH-SY5Y cells were determined by MTT cell viability assay. In addition, the death mechanisms that can occur in SHSY-5Y were revealed by using the flow cytometry technique. Results: Cell viability analyses on the HDFa healthy cell culture showed that both FPV and PTX have inhibitory effects at higher concentrations. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in nuclear abnormality numbers when both of the compounds were applied together. Cell viability analyses showed that FPV and PTX applications have higher cytotoxicity, which indicated synergistic toxicity against the SHSY-5Y cell line. Also, PTX exhibited higher anticancer properties against the neuroblastoma cell line when applied with FPV, as shown in both cytotoxicity and flow cytometry analyses. Conclusions: In light of our findings, the anticancer properties of PTX can be enhanced when the drug application is coupled with FPV exposure. Moreover, these results put forth that the anticancer drug dosage should be evaluated carefully in cancer patients who take COVID-19 treatment with FPV.

Amaç: Küflü (göğermiş) peynir genellikle ülkemizin doğu bölgesinde üretilip her kesimden insan tarafından yüksek miktarlarda tüketilen günlük bir besin kaynağıdır. Bugüne kadar yapılan çalışmalar, genel anlamda üretilen peynirler üzerinde yetişen mikroorganizmaların tanımlanması ve bu mikroorganizmalar tarafından üretilen toksinlerin belirlenmesi amacıyla düzenlenmiştir. Ancak küflü peynirler üzerinde yetişen mikroorganizmalar tarafından üretilen sekonder metabolitler, peynir içeriğinde bulunan suda ve alkolde çözünen protein, yağ ve karbonhidrat gibi moleküllerle etkileşime girerek herhangi bir toksik mekanizmaya neden olma potansiyelleri daha önce değerlendirilmemiştir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmamızda, Erzurum yöresine ait farklı mandıralardan alınan üç farklı küflü civil peynirin toplam izolatı organizmalarla birlikte hazırlanarak fibroblast hücre kültüründe (HDFa) in vitro sitotoksik ve genotoksik değerlendirmeleri yapılmıştır. Hücre kültüründe toksikolojik değerlendirmeler 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) hücre canlılık testiyle belirlenmiştir. İzolatların hücrelerde oluşturabileceği genotoksik özellikler Hoechst 33258 floresan boyama tekniği kullanılarak çekirdek yapıları floresan mikroskop altında incelenmiş ve farklı çekirdek mutasyonları belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, akış sitometrisi tekniği kullanılarak hücrelerde oluşabilecek ölüm mekanizmaları ortaya konulmuştur. Bulgular: Küflü peynirlerden elde edilen su ve alkol izolatlarının hücre kültürleri üzerinde minimum %10 ve maksimum %40 seviyesinde bir sitotoksisiteye neden olduğu ve bu sonuçların kontrole kıyasla önemli bir seviyeye ulaştığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, çekirdek mutasyonları incelendiğinde uygulanan izolatların hücre kültürleri üzerinde önemli ölçüde bir mutasyona neden olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Küflü peynir uygulamaları, akış sitometrisi sonuçlarına göre hücre ölüm mekanizmalarının apoptotik ölüm yolakları üzerinden gerçekleştiği görülmüştür. Sonuç: Çalışmamız sonucunda küflü peynir izolatlarının farklı seviyelerde sitotoksik özellikler gösterebileceği anlaşılmış ve kontrole kıyasla önemli seviyede bir genotoksisite göstermediği belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen bilgiler ışığında, küflü peynir uygulamasının mutajenik bir etkiye sahip olmadığı fakat yüksek miktarlarda etkileşim durumunda apoptotik hücre ölüm mekanizmasının tetiklendiği anlaşılmıştır.