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In this paper, the extract from the leaves of Hedera helix L.was subjected to isolation and fractionation of saponins, in order to determine their in vitro antiproliferative activity. The ethanolic extract was obtained by maceration from H.helix L.leaves, grown in Romania, and the saponins were isolated and fractionated using column chromatography. The total saponin content in the extract and the isolated saponins was determined. Three saponins of interest, hederacoside C, a-hederin and hederagenin were identified by LC/MS analysis. Four selected fractions rich in these saponins tested in vitro, showed antiproliferative effects at a concentration of 200 mg/mL in a culture of human cervix carcinoma Hep-2 cells. The tested fractions were non-cytotoxic in the range of concentration 2-400 mg/mL on normal fibroblasts cells from NCTC cell line. Our results demonstrated the selected saponin fractions isolated from H.helix L.leaves may be considered as possible antitumor agents.

Abstract

This article aims to review the specialized literature regarding biomaterials based on collagen and polysaccharides useful in tissue regeneration. Collagen is the predominant protein in the animal body. The rather large spread of this protein, its physico-chemical and biological properties allow its use in the creation of materials that can come into direct contact with animal tissues, including human ones. Biomaterials based on collagen play an important role in tissue engineering. These can be spongy matrices, membranes or hydrogels. Combining collagen with different polysaccharides (cellulose, chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid) leads to the improvement of the physical-chemical, mechanical and biological properties of the resulting biomaterials. Studies have shown that they can be used in the regeneration of epidermal tissue, bone tissue, neural tissue, eye tissues. Collagen combined with chitosan can be used in bioprinting. The studies carried out on cell cultures demonstrated that the biomaterials resulting from the combination of collagen with different polysaccharides have a low degree of cytotoxicity. In various articles it was shown that these biomaterials have the physico-chemical properties (degree of biodegradability, degree of swelling, degree of porosity) necessary for tissue regenerative engineering.

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Silver carp (H. molitrix) is one of the most popular species in fish farms around the world. In this paper, the bioactive properties of four protein hydrolysates from silver carp residues obtained with papain, flavourzyme, alcalase and combination of flavourzyme & alcalase treatment were analyzed. Physicochemical characterization showed that the alcalase extract had the highest extraction yield of 52.07%, presented 90.33% protein content and the highest degree of hydrolysis (76.23%). Gel electrophoresis pattern indicated that hydrolysate obtained with alcalase contains most peptides with a molecular weight below 15 kDa, while those present in the hydrolysate obtained with flavourzyme & alcalase had a molecular weight between 10-15 kDa. The effect of protein hydrolysates on DPPH free radicals inhibition varied between 47.37-50.14%, the highest value of antioxidant activity being recorded for hydrolysate obtained with papain. The hydrolysates presented antihypertensive potential determined as inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme, with the highest activity in the case of flavourzyme & alcalase extract. The fish protein hydrolysates were cytocompatible in a normal fibroblast culture, NCTC cell line showing cell viability over 80% for all variants. When cultivated in Hep-2 cancer cells at 10 mg/ml, the protein hydrolysates obtained by papain and flavourzyme & alcalase mixture decreased the cell viability, indication antitumoral potential. In conclusion, the fish protein hydrolysates demonstrated important bioactive properties, including antioxidant, antihypertensive and antiproliferative activity.

Abstract

A red-emitting fluorescent Riboflavin (RF)/Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated silver nanoparticles system, lambda(em) = 527 nm, phi = 0.242, with a diameter of the metallic core of 27.33 nm and a zeta potential of - 25.05 mV was prepared and investigated regarding its biological activity. We found that PVP has a key role in RF adsorption around the SNPs surface leading to an enhancement of antioxidant properties (similar to 70%), low cytotoxicity (> 90% cell viability, at 50 mu L/mL, after 48 h of incubation) as well as to an efficient process of its cellular uptake (similar to 60%, after 24 h of incubation) in L929 cells. The results are relevant concerning the involvement of RF and its coenzymes forms in SNPs - based systems, in cellular respiration as well as for future studies as antioxidant marker system on tumoral cells for viewing and monitoring them, by cellular imaging.

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Over the past years, research attention has been focusing more on waste-derived, naturally derived, and renewable materials, in the view of a more sustainable economy. In this work, different topical formulations were obtained from the valorization of marine and agro-industrial by-products and the use of Carbopol 940 as gelling agent. In particular, the combination of extracts obtained from the marine snail, Rapanosa venosa, with Cladophora vagabunda and grape pomace extracts, was investigated for wound healing purposes. Rapana venosa has demonstrated wound healing properties and antioxidant activity. Similarly, grape pomace extracts have been shown to accelerate the healing process. However, their synergic use has not been explored yet. To this aim, four different formulations were produced. Three formulations differed for the presence of a different extract of Rapana venosa: marine collagen, marine gelatin, and collagen hydrolysate, while another formulation used mammalian gelatin as further control. Physico-chemical properties of the extracts as well as of the formulations were analyzed. Furthermore, thermal stability was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis. Antioxidant capacity and biological behavior, in terms of cytocompatibility, wound healing, and antimicrobial potential, were assessed. The results highlighted for all the formulations (i) a good conservation and thermal stability in time, (ii) a neutralizing activity against free radicals, (iii) and high degree of cytocompatibility and tissue regeneration potential. In particular, collagen, gelatin, and collagen hydrolysate obtained from the Rapana venosa marine snail represent an important, valuable alternative to mammalian products.

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A new series of pyrazolo-benzimidazole hybrid Mannich bases were synthesized, characterized by H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR, IR, UV-Vis, MS, and elemental analysis. In vitro cytotoxicity of the new compounds studied on fibroblast cells showed that the newly synthesized pyrazolo-benzimidazole hybrid derivatives were noncytotoxic until the concentration of 1 mu M and two compounds presented a high degree of biocompatibility. The antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of the newly synthesized compounds was assayed on Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC29212, and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Escherichia coli ATCC25922 strains. All synthesized compounds 5a-g are more active against all three tested bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC29212, and Escherichia coli ATCC25922 than reference drugs (Metronidazole, Nitrofurantoin), with the exception of compounds 5d and 5g, which are less active compared to Nitrofurantoin, and all synthesized compounds 5a-g are more active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853 compared to reference drugs (Metronidazole, Nitrofurantoin). Compound 5f showed the best activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, with a MIC of 150 mu g/mL and has also inhibited the biofilm formed by all the bacterial strains, having an MBIC of 310 mu g/mL compared to the reference drugs (Metronidazole, Nitrofurantoin).

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish the best ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) conditions of saponins from Hedera helix L. leaves and to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of the extracts richest in saponins. Different parameters, such as extraction time, temperature, ultrasound power, solvent to plant material ratio, and solvent concentration, were investigated. The most efficient extraction conditions were a temperature of 50 degrees C, an ultrasound amplitude of 40%, an extraction time of 60 min, a plant material to solvent ratio of 1:20 (w:v), and 80% ethanol as solvent. In vitro cytotoxicity of the extracts richest in saponins and their influence on the DNA content of L929 (NCTC) fibroblasts were tested. Until 200 mu g/mL, the studied extracts were cytocompatible with L929 fibroblast cell lines at 48 h of treatment. These in vitro cell culture results provide useful information for further applications of Hedera helix extracts in a pharmaceutical field.

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