The consequence of the unstoppable growth of plastic production and inadequate waste disposal is plastic pollution, which is becoming a global challenge. Large quantities of discarded plastics in the environment are under the direct influence of biotic and abiotic factors, leading to the fragmentation of particles and the formation of tiny particles of plastics or nanoplastics. Nanoplastics are a fast‐growing pollutant that, due to ubiquity in the environment, causes great public concern. It also attracts the attention of scientists in detecting harmful effects on health and the environment. This review is aimed at summarizing all adverse effects of nanoplastics on human health and the environment. Due to their toxic effects, it is necessary to reduce the disposal of plastics in the environment, develop or improve existing methods, and implement legislation that would reduce the release of nanoplastics into the environment. A possible ban or reasonable regulation of nanoplastics in cosmetics or food can be expected only after a critical mass of scientific objections has been created.

A serie of novel square pyramidal copper(II) complexes [Cu(L)₂H₂O] (3a–d) with O,O-bidentate ligands [L = ethyl-2-hydroxy-4-aryl-4-oxo-2-butenoate; aryl = 3-methoxyphenyl-2a, (E)-2-phenylvinyl-2b, (E)-2-(4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)vinyl-2c, 3-nitrophenyl-2d, 2-thienyl-2e] were synthesized and characterized by spectral (UV-Vis, IR, ESI-MS and EPR), elemental and X-ray analysis. The antimicrobial activity was estimated by the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the broth microdilution method. The most active antibacterial compounds were 3c and 3d, while the best antifungal activity was showed by complexes 3b and 3e. The lowest MIC value (0.048 mg mL⁻¹) was measured for 3c against Proteus mirabilis. The cytotoxic activity was tested using the MTT method on human epithelial carcinoma HeLa cells, human lung carcinoma A549 cells and human colon carcinoma LS174 cells. All complexes showed extremely better cytotoxic activity compared to cisplatin at all tested concentrations. Compound 3d expressed the best activity against all tested cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 7.45 to 7.91 μg mL⁻¹. The type of cell death and the impact on the cell cycle for 3d and 3e were evaluated by flow cytometry. Both compounds induced apoptosis and S phase cell cycle arrest. The interactions between selected complexes (3d and 3e) and CT-DNA or bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated by the fluorescence spectroscopic method. Competitive experiments with ethidium bromide (EB) indicated that 3d and 3e have a propensity to displace EB from the EB–DNA complex through intercalation suggesting strong competition with EB [K_sv = (1.4 ± 0.2) and (2.9 ± 0.1) × 10⁴ M⁻¹, respectively]. K_sv values indicate that these complexes bind to DNA covalently and non-covalently. The achieved results in the fluorescence titration of BSA with 3d and 3e [K_a = (2.9 ± 0.2) × 10⁶ and (2.5 ± 0.2) × 10⁵ M, respectively] showed that the fluorescence quenching of BSA is a result of the formation of the 3d– and 3e–BSA complexes. The obtained K_a values are high enough to ensure that a significant amount of 3d and 3e gets transported and distributed through the cells.

Innovative, efficient, clean, experimentally simple and environmentally friendly one-pot biocatalytic synthesis of two small libraries of 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinoxalinones (4a–m) and 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones (5a, 5b, 5f and 5k–o) by heterocyclization of ethyl 2-hydroxy-4-alkyl(aryl)-4-oxo-2-butenoates (1a–o) or their corresponding salts (1a′–o′) with o-phenylenediamine (2) or o-aminophenol (3) in lemon juice as a solvent and a catalyst is presented. In all reactions where esters 1a–o are used for 24 h, very good-to-excellent yields were achieved, but the best yield was realized in the synthesis of 5a (97%) from 3 and 1a. The use of enolate salts (1a′–o′) instead of the corresponding esters 1a–o significantly reduced the reaction time (up to 6 h) and good-to-excellent yields were achieved. Groups with electron-donating or -withdrawing effects at the aromatic ring of the ester did not have significant influences on the yield of targeted products. In addition, several selected 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinoxalinones and 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones on a gram-scale in the yields up to 92% were synthesized. The presented synthetic strategy has produced smaller amount of waste without by-products and with excellent values of green chemistry metrics (atom efficiency, reaction mass efficiency, E-factor and EcoScale).

The purpose of this paper was to examine the density, viscosity and electrical conductivity at different temperatures, as well as the thermal stability and structural properties of previously reported ionic liquids based on active pharmaceutical ingredients. Lidocaine-based ionic liquids, with ibuprofen and salicylate as counterion, were prepared first. Their structures were confirmed by infrared, mass and ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The Newtonian behaviour of lidocaine ibuprofenate was confirmed from viscosity measurement results, while it was impossible to determine for lidocaine salicylate. The interactions and structures of the studied ionic liquids were analyzed based on the measured density values, viscosity, electrical conductivity, and calculated values of thermal expansion coefficients and activation energy of viscous flow. From a theoretical aspect, DFT and MD calculations were performed. The obtained descriptors and radial distribution, as well as structural functions, were used to understand the structural organization of the synthesized ionic liquids.

Gal-3 has the role in multiple inflammatory pathways. Multiple-hit etiology of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and evolving immune response at various stages of the disease includes involvement of Gal-3 in PBC pathogenesis. In this study we aimed to clarify the role of Gal-3 in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans (N. aromaticivorans) induced biliary disease. Autoimmune cholangitis was induced in mice by two intra-peritoneal injections of N. aromaticivorans within 2 weeks. The role of Gal-3 was evaluated by using Lgals3^−/− mice and mice treated with Gal-3 inhibitor. The histological and serological parameters of disease, phenotype of dendritic, NK, NKT, and T cells and inflammasome expression were evaluated. Marked attenuation of the disease in Lgals3^−/− and Gal-3 inhibitor, DAVANAT^®, treated mice is manifested by the absence of bile duct damage, granulomas and fibrosis. Liver infiltrates of N. aromaticivorans infected wild type mice had higher incidence of pro-inflammatory macrophages, dendritic cells, NK, NKT, and T cells. Lgals3 deletion and treatment with Gal-3 inhibitor reduced inflammatory mononuclear cell infiltrate, expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in the liver infiltrates and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production in the livers of N. aromaticivorans infected mice. In vitro stimulation of wild type peritoneal macrophages with N. aromaticivorans caused increased NLRP3 expression, caspase-1 activity and IL-1β production compared with Lgals3^−/− cells. Our data highlight the importance of Gal-3 in promotion of inflammation in N. aromaticivorans induced PBC by enhancing the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and production of IL-1β and indicate Gal-3 as possible therapeutical target in autoimmune cholangitis. Galectin-3 appears involved in inflammatory response to gut commensal leading to PBC.