Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss due to the accumulation of amyloid-β peptides and tau proteins. In the pursuit of novel neuroprotective strategies, organotin(IV) compounds have garnered attention due to their unique chemical and biological properties. This study evaluates the inhibitory potential of two triphenyltin(IV) derivatives—(3-propan-1-ol)triphenyltin(IV) (Ph₃SnL₁) and (4-butan-1-ol)triphenyltin(IV) (Ph₃SnL₂)—in both free form and immobilized into mesoporous silica SBA-15~Cl, targeting acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a key enzyme involved in AD pathophysiology. The SBA-15~Cl|Ph₃SnL₂ nanostructures exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against AChE (IC₅₀ = 0.58 μM), significantly outperforming the standard drug galantamine. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and MM/GBSA and MM/PBSA analyses confirmed the stability and selectivity of interactions with AChE, primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions. Compound transport was also simulated using a multi-scale 3D mouse brain model to evaluate brain tissue distribution and blood–brain barrier permeability. The results highlight the strong potential of SBA-15-loaded organotin(IV) compounds as biocompatible neuroprotective agents for novel treatments of neurodegenerative diseases.

The objective of the research is to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of acetone extracts of the mushrooms Macrolepiota mastoidea, Clitocybe nebularis, Lepista nuda, Chroogomphus helveticus, Lactarius deliciosus, Russula atropurpurea, and Ramaria stricta. The microdilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and assess the antimicrobial effects against five bacterial and ten fungal species. Extract of C. helveticus exhibited more powerful antimicrobial properties, with ranged MIC values from 0.16 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL. The assessment of the antioxidant activity involved: measuring the ability to scavenge DPPH radicals, conducting a reducing power assay, and determining the quantities of total phenolics and flavonoids in extracts. The findings of the research indicate that the extract from C. helveticus exhibited greater antioxidant potency (IC50 = 395.15 mg/mL). The strongest effect of reducing power showed extract of C. helveticus. The highest content of total phenols and flavonoids was detected in the extract of C. helveticus.

This work examines the utilization of the natural product shilajit resin, sourced from the Himalayas, for the extraction of diverse components suitable to the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). The study evaluated the extraction efficiency of Uro-A, a polar phenolic component, from shilajit samples utilizing various solvent systems, followed by the eco-friendly synthesis and characterization of AuNPs and SeNPs. The LC-MS/MS analysis demonstrated that the methanol/ethyl acetate (MeOH/EA) extract was particularly effective and contained the highest concentration of Uro-A. A robust positive association was discovered between Uro-A content in shilajit and the efficiency of nanoparticle production. Sample 2, with 0.002 ppm Uro-A, produced suboptimal yields (15% for AuNPs; 34% for SeNPs), while sample 1, with 2.504 ppm Uro-A, noticeably enhanced the yields to 90% (AuNPs) and 96% (SeNPs). The synthesized AuNPs and SeNPs were characterized using SEM, EDS, PSD, ZP, XRD, FTIR, and XPS techniques, demonstrating spherical particles with an average diameter of around 100 nm. XPS spectra confirmed the elemental form of the obtained AuNPs and SeNPs. Antimicrobial studies revealed that SeNPs exhibit moderate efficacy (MIC = 0.125–1 mg/mL) against bacteria (e.g., Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (e.g., Penicillium italicum, Mucor mucedo), but higher in comparison to AuNPs (MIC 0.25–5 mg/mL).

The aim of this study is to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial properties of the acetone extracts of the mushrooms Macrolepiota procera and Chlorophyllum rhacodes. The microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and assess the antimicrobial effects against three bacterial and ten fungal species. Overall, the tested mushroom extracts had relatively strong antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration for both extracts related to the tested bacteria and fungi was 0.625 – 20 mg/mL. Extract of C. rhacodes exhibited more powerful antimicrobial properties, with ranged MIC values from 0.625 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL. The Acetone extract of C. rhacodes has shown the most antibacterial activity against S. aureus, while the extract of M. procera has not shown activity against S. aureus as against G. candidum. In comparison to the standard antibiotics as positive controls, the antimicrobial activity of studied extracts was less expressed. The results suggest that mushroom species may be used for pharmaceutical purposes in treating various diseases.

Shilajit is an exudate rich in humic substances that collected from rocks in several mountain ranges and has been used for centuries in traditional medicine for fatigue, physical performance, and general vitality. Ten shilajit samples from five mountain regions (Himalayas, Andes, Altai, Caucasus, and Carpathians) were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), elemental composition by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), urolithin A (Uro-A) content by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and antimicrobial activity by broth microdilution against five bacterial and five fungal species. DSC identified two distinct thermal groups: seven samples showed only melting transitions between 100–159 °C, while three samples exhibited low-temperature crystallization and sub-zero melting. ICP-MS revealed potassium as the dominant macroelement (up to ~95,600 ppm), with essential trace elements (selenium, zinc and iron) and toxic elements [arsenic (0.14–1.34 ppm), cadmium (0.01–0.10 ppm) and lead (0.35–3.01 ppm)] all present at levels well within FDA/WHO tolerable intake thresholds, comparable to background levels reported in common foods such as dark chocolate. Uro-A content was strongly solvent-dependent, ranging from 0.07 to 1.63 ppm in methanol to 3.46–58.46 ppm in a methanol/ethyl acetate mixture. Antimicrobial activity was species-dependent (MIC 3.12–25 mg/mL), limited to Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus and only two fungal strains (Mucor mucedo and Geotrichum candidum), with no activity against the Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. These findings support shilajit’s compositional diversity and highlight Uro-A as its most promising bioactive component, warranting further standardization and origin-based sourcing studies for future bioavailability studies for the potential use as a functional food ingredient.