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Novel drugs, isolated from natural compounds, are currently being tested and sought out, and here, Pleurotus sajar caju was considered as a source for potentially novel drugs. The current study focuses on identifying the bioactive compounds of partially purified fractions (F1–F20) from PSME ( Pleurotus sajar caju methanolic extract) in order to demonstrate the antioxidant activity and anticancer activity of F13 on cervical, lung, and breast cancer cell lines with mechanisms and also in silico study of selected compounds. The results of the qualitative analysis of PSME exhibited that phenol, flavonoid, carbohydrate, and alkaloid contents were in high (+++) amounts. FT-IR analysis of the extract showed several functional groups, like O–H stretching for carboxylic acids, C–H stretching for alkanes and alkyl groups, etc. The PSME underwent column chromatography for fractionation and partial purification, obtaining 20 fractions (F1–F20). Fractions were tested for antioxidant content and activity, and network analysis of the co-occurrence pattern within the antioxidant content and activity of different fractions of PSME was done by R software, and F13 was judged as the best fraction. The F13 had the highest radical scavenging activity with EC 50 values of 21.65 ± 0.81 µg.mL −1 by DPPH (1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), and it also had maximum scavenging activity among other fractions by the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) method. Total phenolic content, flavonoid content, and ascorbic acid content of F13 were maximum among other fractions. TLC analysis of the F13 fraction revealed six distinct spots with Rf values (0.36, 0.52, 0.65, 0.74, 0.36, and 0.87), but three spots matched perfectly with the Rf values of the standards of quinine (0.37), quercetin (0.74), and p -coumaric acid (0.87). The cytotoxicity effect of F13 from PSME at the highest concentration of 1500 µg.mL −1 on the HeLa cell line was 90.66 ± 3.05% cell growth inhibition, compared to other cell lines at 24 h. The F13 induced apoptosis and LDH leakage. It upregulated gene expression of Caspase 3 & 9 and P53 and downregulated BcL2 genes of all cell lines, as proved by our Western blotting experiment. In silico analysis exhibited that quercetin and p -coumaric acid strongly bound with receptors BcL2 and Caspase 3, inhibiting BcL2 function and enhancing Caspase 3 function. In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated that F13, having six bioactive compounds, was a highly potent antioxidant and anti-breast, anti-lung, and anti-cervical cancer agent. After in vivo and clinical trials in humans, it would be an important product for next-generation drug preparation for cancer management.

Fungi, or mushrooms, are a source of bioactive compounds that have valuable health effects. The column chromatography of ethanolic extract of Daldinia eschscholtzii (DEE) was performed, 10 fractions were collected, and out of them the F5 fraction demonstrated the greatest antioxidant activity by DPPH (1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) with an EC 50 of 0.94 ± 0.05a mg/mL. Mycochemistry analysis by liquid chromatography mass spectrum (LC-MS) showed that F5 was a mixture of four compounds, like myricetin, tricin, eudesmin, and (-)-curcumol. Cytotoxicity assay exhibited anti-proliferation activity with IC 50 values of 125.66 ± 6.34, 96.22 ± 1.92, and 76.91 ± 2.05 µg/mL of F5 against A549 lung cancer cell line at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. The mechanism of anticancer effect of F5 (DEE) on the cancer cell line (A549) included the induction of apoptosis, reduction of mitochondrial potentiality, and change of gene expression levels of TCASPASE 3, TCASPASE 9, TP 53, and TBCL 2 of the cell line. The qPCR study showed that TCASPASE 3, 9, TBAX , and TP 53 were up-regulated significantly, whereas TBCL 2 was down-regulated significantly after the treatment with F5 (50 and 150 µg/mL) for 24 h. It had an anti-migration activity, which was justified by downregulation of TMMP 2 & 9, and TVEGF genes. The physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and medicinal properties of all four compounds in F5 were screened by three web predictors (SwissADME, pkCSM, and AdmetSAR), and among them, curcumol, tricin, and eudesmin compounds fulfilled all the criteria of different rules or filters (Lipinski’s rules, Ghose filter, Veber filter, Egan filter, and Muegge filter) for drug development. Molecular docking studies of the compounds like tricin, curcumol, and eudesmin with receptor proteins like Caspase 3, p53, and BCL2 revealed that tricin had the highest binding energy towards Caspase 3 and p53, allowing upregulation of these genes, while eudesmin showed the highest binding energy (-7.6 kcal/mol) with BCL2, suggesting inactivation of BCL2. In conclusion, F5 of DEE had both anticancer and anti-metastasis properties.

Plastic is a broad name given to the different types of organic polymers having high molecular weight and is commonly derived from different petrochemicals. Plastics are generally not biodegradable or few are degradable but in a very slow rate. Day by day, the global demand of these polymers is sharply increasing; however, considering their abundance and potentiality in causing different environmental hazards, there is a great concern in the possible methods of degradation of plastics. Recently, there have been some debates at the world stage about the potential degradation procedures of these synthetic polymers and microbial degradation has emerged as one of the potential alternative ways of degradation of plastics. Alternatively, some scientists have also reported many adverse effects of these polymers in human health, and thus, there is an immediate need of a potential screening of some potential microbes to degrade these synthetic polymers. In this review, we have taken an attempt to accumulate all information regarding the chemical nature along with some potential microbes and their enzymatic nature of biodegradation of plastics along with some key factors that affect their biodegradability.

Recent studies have highlighted the potential of various mushroom or fungal species in promoting health and combating cancer through their bioactive compounds. This growing body of evidence encourages further exploration into their mechanisms of action and possible applications in cancer prevention and treatment. Fruit bodies of wild fungus Daldinia eschscholtzii were extracted in ethyl acetate solvent (purity: 99.9%), then lyophilized to powder known as Daldinia ethyl acetate extract (DEAE). LC-MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrum) was used to detect the bioactive compounds present in DEAE. Antioxidant contents and activity of DEAE were determined by standard methods. The anticancer activity of this extract was evaluated against the A549 cell line (lung cancer) by MTT assay, apoptosis (flow cytometry), and expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes; anti-migration was determined by qPCR. The drug likeness of DEAE was evaluated by WebPredictor (SwissADME). Mycochemistry analysis by LC-MS demonstrated that DEAE was a mixture of a total of 28 compounds, among them 8 were flavonoids, 3 polyphenols, and 8 alkaloids. The TPC (total phenolic content), TFC (total flavonoid content), and TTC (total tannin content) of DEAE were 56.7 ± 1.3 mg GAE/g dry weight, 24.0 ± 0.28 mg QE/g dry weight, and 10.39 ± 0.24 mg TAE/g dry weight of the extract, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was 110.2 ± 1.3 mg AAE/g dry weight of the DEAE. The EC 50 value for DPPH scavenging was 3.55 ± 0.02 mg/mL. Cytotoxicity assay exhibited anti-proliferation activity with IC 50 values of 149.80 ± 0.76, 104.60 ± 1.43, and 87.86 ± 2.29 µg/mL against the A549 lung cancer cell line at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. The mechanism of the anticancer effect of DEAE on the cancer cell line (A549) included induction of apoptosis and a change of gene expression levels of Caspase 3, Caspase 9, p53, and Bcl 2 of the cell line. The qPCR study showed that Caspase 3, 9, BAX, and p53 were up-regulated, whereas Bcl 2 was down-regulated after the treatment with DEAE (50, 150, and 200 µg/mL) for 24 h. It had an anti-migration activity, which was justified by the downregulation of MMP 2 & 9 genes. The physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and medicinal properties of ten compounds in DEAE were screened by web predictors (SwissADME), and among them, skimmianine, lycorine-diacetate, isocorydine, glycyrrhetic acid Me ester, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, and apigenin compounds followed the rules of 5 (Lipinski filter). Skimmianin, glycyrrhetic acid Me ester, and apigenin were found to inhibit some members of the cytochrome family, like CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP2C19, and CYP2C9, indicating their anti-drug-resistant properties. These findings suggest that DEAE may serve as a promising natural therapeutic as an antioxidant and also as an anticancer and anti-metastasis candidate against lung cancer.

Globally the current research is going for cancer disease management by different strategies as frequency and severity of this disease are increasing day by day. The fruit body of edible and tasty Astraeus asiaticus mushroom was extracted in ethyl acetate solvent (EA) and quantitative analysis revealed that it contained a significant amount of total phenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acids. The FT-IR study revealed different functional groups in the extracts with different characteristic peak values. The GC/MS profile of AAEA ( Astraeus asiaticus ethyl acetate) extract exhibited 61 compounds. The column chromatography of AAEA extract was performed and the F12 fraction demonstrated the greatest radical scavenging activity with an EC 50 of 25.65 ± 4.82 µg. mLˉ¹. Mycochemistry (GC and mass spectrum) analysis showed that F12 was a mixture of six important compounds like Hexadecanoic acid, 3,4,5,6 Tetramethyloctane, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, 1-cyclododecyne, cis-9,10-Epoxyoctadecan-1-ol. The chemical properties of all six compounds were screened by SwissADME and pkCSM and AdmetSAR predictors. Out of them Hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid and 3,4,5,6 Tetramethyloctane, exhibited suitable properties for drug -preparation and they showed anticancer activity and antioxidant activity as per NIST data base and library search. We have tried to focus on anticancer compounds derived from the partial purification (F12) of mushroom extract (AAEA) from this edible mushroom against cancer (cervical, lung, and breast) cell lines. After 24 h of treatment, the percentages of cell growth inhibition of HeLa, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines by highest concentration (1500 µg. mL − 1 ) of F12 were 92.03 ± 6.21 a, 90.38 ± 4.53a, and 87.51 ± 5.36a % respectively and the IC 50 values were 701 ± 11.54, 728.71 ± 10.53, and 806.88 ± 11.52 µg. mL − 1 respectively but the growth of normal cell HEK 293T was inhibited slightly (3.0%). The mechanism of anticancer effect of F12 (AAEAE) on cancer cell lines included induction of apoptosis, LDH leakage, and up regulation of gene expression levels of Caspase 3, Caspase 9, P53, and down regulation of BcL2 of all three cell lines. Molecular docking of the three important compounds (Hexadecanoic acid, 3,4,5,6 Tetramethyloctane and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid), with apoptotic protein Caspase 3 and antiapoptotic protein BcL2 was done to find out the binding affinity, stability and drug- likeness properties of these chemicals. In conclusion, F12 fraction of AAEA extract of this mushroom containing six bioactive compounds was a promising antioxidant and anticancer agent and the use of this fraction in cancer treatment will be a novel study for future drug development.

Anopheline larvicidal property of T. asperellum has been found recently in medical science. The mechanism of actions exhibited by T. asperellum to infect mosquito larvae is the pivotal context of our present study. To infect an insect, entomopathogens must undergo some events of pathogenesis. We performed some experiments to find out the mechanisms of action of T. asperellum against anopheline larvae and compared its actions with other two well recognized entomopathogens like Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana. The methodology adopted for this includes Compound light and SE Microscopic study of host–pathogen interaction, detection of fungal spore adhesion on larval surface (Mucilage assay), detection of cuticle degrading enzymes (Spore bound pr1, chitinase and protease) by spectro-photometric method, Quantitative estimation of chitinase and protease enzymes, and determination of nuclear degeneration of hemocyte cells of ME (methanolic extract) treated larvae by T. asperellum under fluorescence microscope. Compound light microscopic studies showed spore attachment, appressorium and germ tube formation, invasion and proliferated hyphal growth of T. asperellum on epicuticle and inside of dead larvae. SEM study also supported them. After 3 h of interaction, spores were found to be attached on larval surface exhibiting pink colored outer layer at the site of attachment indicating the presence of mucilage surrounding the attached spores. The enzymatic cleavage of the 4-nitroanilide substrate yields 4-nitroaniline which indicates the presence of spore-bound PR1 protein (Pathogenecity Related 1 Protein) and it was highest (absorbance 1.298 ± 0.002) for T. asperellum in comparison with control and other two entomopathogens. T. asperellum exhibited highest enzymatic index values for both chitinase (5.20) and protease (2.77) among three entomopathogens. Quantitative experiment showed that chitinase enzyme concentration of T. asperellum (245 µg mL −1 ) was better than other two M. anisopliae (134.59 µg mL −1 ) and B. bassiana (128.65 µg mL −1 ). Similarly protease enzyme concentration of this fungus was best (298.652 µg mL −1 ) among three entomopathogens. Here we have detected and estimated fragmentized nuclei of hemocyte cells by fluorescence microscopy in treated larvae with different ME doses of T. asperellum, and also observed that mosquito larvae exposed to 0.1 mg mL −1 dose of ME showed maximum (100%) nuclear fragmentations of hemocytes and while 20, 45, 70 and 85% of nuclear deformities were recorded at 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08 mg mL −1 concentrations of ME. The knowledge of this work certainly will help in understanding of mechanism of action of T. asperellum for anopheline larval killing and consequently in eradication of malaria vector.

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. is a highly important and extensively cultivated medicinal plant and that is also extensively used in the cosmetic industry. It has been frequently reported to suffer from Alternaria leaf spot disease in various parts of the world. Various fungicides used to combat this disease, have deleterious effects on the environment and on pharmacologically important constituents of Aloe vera. To avoid the harmful effects of fungicides an ecofriendly approach has been adopted here. A weekly survey was conducted during 2013-2015 in and around North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) to obtain the percentage of disease index (PDI). For biological control of the disease, screening of the antagonistic efficacy of biocontrol agents was carried out through the in vitro dual-culture-plate method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the mechanism. The in vitro effects of fungicides on the radial growth of the pathogen were evaluated through the poison food method and were compared with potent antagonistic fungi. Field application of potent antagonistic fungi was conducted through the dip-and-spray method. The results showed that, the PDI peaked during the hot and humid conditions of May to September (76.57%-98.57%) but decreased during the winter, December-January (35.71-46.66%). Trichoderma asperellum exerted the greatest inhibition of the radial growth of A. brassicae acting through non volatile (70.39%) and volatile metabolites (72.17%). A SEM study confirmed the hyperparasitic nature of T. asperellum through hyphal coiling-T. asperellum was similar to 2% blitox-50 (73.92%) and better than 2% bavistin (59.77%) (in vitro). In agricultural field trials (2013-15), Trichoderma application restricted the disease to the smallest area (PDI 24.00-29.33%) in comparison to untreated plots (73.33%). In conclusion, saplings treated with the dip method (108 spores / mL) and sprayed 4 times with a spore suspension of biocontrol agents such as T. asperellum, T. viride and T. harzianum, standardized at a rate of 2.5 L / plot (36 sq ft) (108 spores/ mL) are suggested for the ecofriendly management of this epidemic leaf spot disease of Aloe vera in agricultural fields.

In human communities inhabiting areas-such as West Bengal- India-where perpetuate the pre-imago & adult developmental stages of mosquitoes; many infectious diseases are still diagnosed such as Dengue, Malaria and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. The control of the aquatic developmental stages is one of the easiest way to prevent the emergence of adults-the blood feeding adult females being thus prevented to sample their blood meal and to lay their eggs in the aquatic milieu where develop the aquatic pre-imaginal developmental stages. Moreover, reducing the adult population size also the probability of for the blood feeding adult female mosquitoes to act as hosts and vectors of the arboviruses such as dengue virus & Japanese encephalitis virus as well as of Plasmodium. Several environmental factors including water quality parameters are responsible for the selection of oviposition sites by the female mosquitoes. In our study, larval densities of three important mosquitoes (Aedes/A. albopictus, Anopheles/An. stephensi and Culex/C. vishnui) were measured and water qualities of their habitat i.e. pH, Specific Conductance, Dissolved Oxygen, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total alkalinity (T.sub.alk ), Hardness, Nitrate nitrogen and Ammonia nitrogen were analyzed in 2017 and 2018 in many districts of West Bengal where humans beings are suffering from arboviruses and /or malaria. Whereas we have found positive correlation of density of C. vishnui and A. albopictus with the water factors except Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and T.sub.alk, for An. stephensi all these factors except pH, COD and T.sub.alk have positive correlation. Hardness of the water shows positive correlation with the density of An. stephensi and C. vishnui but negative correlation with density of A. albopictus. Contour plot analysis demonstrates that occurrence of each mosquito species lies in between specific range of water factors. Inter- correlation analysis revealed that mosquitoes were negatively correlated with each other. A positive correlation of the water quality parameters and larval density, over two successive years, was also noticed. In conclusion, the increasing level of pollution due to industrial and other irresponsible waste management system which changes the water quality parameters may also influence mosquito population.

Background Amphibians are facing a global decline for the last few decades due to habitat loss, pesticide pollution, diseases and some other reasons. Fungal disease called chytridiomycosis has been emerged as one of the major causes of anuran extinction and decline in many parts of the globe. As the causal fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) were reported to have ubiquitous distribution on Earth, a survey was being conducted in districts of southern West Bengal, India, to assess probable anuran damage by the Bd in this region. A significant percentage of the common frogs Hoplobatrachus tigerinus and Phrynoderma hexadactylum were found to carry disease symptoms like redness of ventral skin, rashes, skin lesions, sluggish movements followed by death within 2 months. Results Investigation pointed the causal factor as Alternaria alternata . Liver and lungs were the primarily affected organs. Histopathology identified the presence of spores in TS of infected lungs along with hepatocellular steatosis. Elevation of serum SGPT and triglyceride (~ tenfold and ~ threefold, respectively, compared to healthy groups) was also key findings in infected individuals. Infection prevalence was highest in South 24 Parganas (more than 7%). Conclusion A common plant pathogen shifting host to anurans in a trans-kingdom way may be a significant evolutionary finding, but the infection being detrimental to two local frogs will have severe impacts. As the frogs are food web intermediates of their habitats, a collapse in local food web will be the primary ecological impact along with higher incidence of mosquito-borne diseases.

Commercially used industrial baking enamels consist of alkyd or polyester resin with melamine formaldehyde. These resins are mainly derived from fossil resources. Considering growing environmental legislation regarding use of petroleum based raw materials, utilization of renewable resources to synthesize various chemistries can be the only obvious option as far as academia and industries are concerns. The present work deals with exploration of one of the natural resources (Cardanol) for polyol synthesis, its characterization (FTIR and NMR) and its curing behavior with melamine formaldehyde resin by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The optimized formulations from DSC study were further evaluated for general coating properties to study the suitability of developed polyol for industrial coating application. The experimental studies revealed that melamine content in the curing mixtures and thereby developed crosslinking density played an important role in deciding the coatings properties.