Faculty Of Pharmacy Research Paper
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Item Upregulation of MC4R and PPAR-α expression mediates the anti-obesity activity of Moringa oleifera Lam. in high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats(Elsevier Ireland Ltd, 01/01/2020) Ezzat, Shahira M; El Bishbishy, Mahitab H.; Aborehab, Nora M; Salama, Maha M.; Hasheesh, Adel; Abdel Motaal, Amira; Rashad, Hend; Metwally, Fateheya MEthnopharmacological relevance: various extracts of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves, were reported to possess antiobesity effect in experimental animals models, yet its active doses and mechanism of action are still unclear. Materials and methods: The metabolic profiling of 70% ethanol extract of M. oleifera (MO) leaves was performed using HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The antiobesity activity of MO was tested in high fat diet induced obesity in rats at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight orally for 1 month. Total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoproteins (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, and adipose tissue index were monitored. In addition, fatty acid synthase (FAS) and HMG-CoA reductase mRNA from liver tissue, Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor alpha (PPARα) and Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) RNA from adipose tissue were quantified using qRT-PCR. MO hard gelatin capsules (400 mg/capsule) were formulated and standardized using HPLC-RP analysis and tested on fifteen female participants, aged 45–55 with a BMI of 29–34 kg/m2. Results: Thirteen metabolites were tentatively identified using HPLC-MS/MS analysis including flavonols, flavones and a phenolic acid. MO 400 showed a prominent effect on reducing the rats’ final weights, % weight increase and adiposity index (P < 0.05). Glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR were significantly reduced and R-QUICKI was significantly increased by MO 400 (P < 0.001). Mean tissue level of leptin and vaspin were significantly reduced, adiponectin, omentin and GLUT-4 expression were increased significantly by MO 400 (P < 0.01). MO 400 significantly suppressed FAS and HMG-CoA reductase and increased mRNA expression of MC4R and PPAR-α (P < 0.01). Eight weeks administration of MO hard gelatin capsules to obese patients showed significant reduction of the average BMI, TC and LDL compared to the baseline values (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results presented a scientific evidence for the traditional use of M. oleifera leaves as antiobesity herbal medicineItem Pumpkin Bio-Wastes as Source of Functional Ingredients(Springer, 01/01/2022) Ezzat, Shahira M; Adel, Riham; Abdel-Sattar, EssamFood processing wastes are those end products of various food processing industries that have not been recycled or used for other purposes. They are the non-product flows of raw materials whose economic values are less than the cost of collection and recovery for reuse; therefore discarded as wastes. These wastes could be considered valuable by-products if there were appropriate technical means and if the following products’ value exceeded the reprocessing cost. A tremendous amount of food wastes is generated worldwide, largely through the industry of fruit and vegetable, oils, fermentation, dairy products, and seafood. Wastes are generated at the different food processing stages: pre- and post-harvest, food manufacturing, packaging, retail/catering, and consumer/household. The loss can reach up to 25% or more worldwide (Parfitt et al., 2010). In the developed leading countries, such as Japan, the USA, and United Kingdom, more than 40% was discarded as food waste.Item Ascorbic acid derivative-loaded modified aspasomes: formulation, in vitro, ex vivo and clinical evaluation for melasma treatment(TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 01/02/2020) Zaki, MSE; Diab, HM; Abdou, EM; Kandil, SM; :About-Einien, MHVitamin C (L-Ascorbic acid) has many favourable effects on the skin such as antioxidant, anti-aging and whitening effects. Its instability and low permeability limit its pharmaceutical use in cosmetic and dermatological products. Instead, Mg ascorbyl phosphate (MAP), an ascorbic acid derivative, has the same effect with higher stability is being used. In this work, a vesicular system, aspasomes, containing MAP was developed and evaluated. Aspasomes are multilayered vesicles formed by amphiphiles molecules, Ascorbyl palmitate (ASP), in combination with cholesterol and charged lipids for drug encapsulation. Here, we investigated the use of lecithin instead of the charged lipid dicetyl phosphate for aspasomes development. Nine formulations were prepared and evaluated for their entrapment efficiency, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential. Their entrapment efficiency ranged from 33.00 +/- 2.27 to 95.18 +/- 1.06, while their particle size was from 373.34 +/- 60.85 to 464.37 +/- 93.46 nm with acceptable PDI (from 0.212 +/- 0.068 to 0.351 +/- 0.061) and zeta potential (from -37.52 +/- 2.42 to -50.36 +/- 1.82). Three formulations were selected and evaluated for their drug release, permeation and retention into skin. One formulation was selected to be formulated as aspasomal topical cream and gel. The aspasomal cream was found to have enhanced drug permeation and skin retention over the aspasomal gel as well as the aspasomes formulation. MAP aspasomal cream was evaluated clinically as an effective treatment for melasma against 15% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and the results recorded that the aspasomal cream showed the greatest degree of improvement regarding the hemi-MASI scores with 35% of patients rating it as excellent treatment. The study showed that MAP aspasomal cream can be considered a novel treatment of melasma which is free of side effects. Its efficacy as a monotherapy is superior to that of chemical peeling using 15% TCAItem Spectroscopic and in silico Approach to Probe the Binding Interactions of Irbesartan and Human Serum Albumin(Elsevier, 01/02/2022) Najmi, Asim; Al Bratty, Mohammed; Alhazmi, Hassan Ahmad; Thangavel, Neelaveni; Alam, Md Shamsher; Ahsan, Waquar; Javed, Sadique Akhtar; Arbab, Ismail Adam; El-Sharkawy, Karam AhmedObjective: The free and active concentration of drugs and thereby their pharmacokinetic properties are controlled by their binding to human serum albumin (HSA) protein. Irbesartan (IRB), an antihypertensive drug was aimed to be investigated in terms of its binding interactions with the different sites of HSA using in silico molecular docking technique along with the commonly employed spectroscopic techniques. Methods: Using FT-IR spectroscopy, the spectral shifting and intensity variations before and after complexation with IRB were studied for amide A, amide-I as well as amide-II of HSA. The absorbance of HSA with and without increasing concentrations of IRB was studied at 280 nm and the binding constant was determined using UV-spectroscopy. Molecular docking study was performed, and the types of interactions were predicted. Results: The IR spectra of IRB-HSA complex showed reductions in the intensities of amide-I and II bands as well as marked reduction in the α-helix content of HSA. The absorbance of HSA protein increased with increasing concentrations of drug. A binding constant value of 5.64 × 104 M-1 was calculated indicating good interaction. Molecular docking studies showed that IRB interacts more effectively with site-I of HSA through greater number of hydrogen bonds and strong π–charge (electrostatic) interactions than with site-II. Conclusions: The spectroscopic and molecular docking techniques proved to be effective tools to study the drug-protein interaction which provided accurate results as evident from these studies. Studying drug-albumin interaction is of utmost importance as it directly influences the overall pharmacokinetics of the drugs including its distribution, metabolism and therefore the duration of action.Item Suppressive effects of thymoquinone on the initiation stage of diethylnitrosamine hepatocarcinogenesis in rats(Wiely, 01/04/2022) Ibrahim, Samar Salah; Fahim, Sally A; Tadros, Samer A; Badary, Osama AHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer‐related death globally. Chemoprevention is the most effective technique for reducing HCC incidence. Thymoquinone (TQ), the main bioactive constituent of Nigella sativa, exhibits anti‐inflammatory and antineoplastic activities against various cancers. Therefore, TQ was tested as an inhibitor of the initial phase of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)‐induced HCC in rats. Twenty‐four male Wistar albino rats were randomly placed into four equal groups. Group 1 received saline and acted as the negative control; Group 2 received TQ; Group 3 received DEN; and Group 4 received TQ for 7 days and DEN on the 8th day. After 24 h of fasting, blood samples were taken from the slaughtered rats. Additionally, each rat's liver was dissected and separated into two halves for histological and biochemical investigation. DEN‐induced hepatotoxicity was detected by elevated hepatic enzymes and HCC biomarkers reduced antioxidant and proapoptotic statuses. DEN administration caused a significant increase in the levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, caspase‐3, alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP), AFPL3, glypican 3, and the expression of BAX. However, DEN significantly decreased glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and CYP2E1 and the expression of BCl‐2. Furthermore, it caused histological changes and showed a strong positive GSH S‐transferase P expression in the hepatic parenchyma. Pretreatment with TQ prevented the histopathological and most of the biochemical changes and improved the antioxidant status. TQ supplementation appears to suppress the development of DEN‐initiated liver cancer by reducing oxidative stress, activating the intrinsic mitotic apoptosis pathway, and retaining the antioxidant enzymesItem Firefly algorithm versus genetic algorithm as powerful variable selection tools and their effect on different multivariate calibration models in spectroscopy: A comparative study(PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 01/05/2017) Serag, A; El-Zeiny, MB; Nassar, MW; Attia, KAFor the first time, a new variable selection method based on swarm intelligence namely firefly algorithm is coupled with three different multivariate calibration models namely, concentration residual augmented classical least squares, artificial neural network and support vector regression in UV spectral data. A comparative study between the firefly algorithm and the well-known genetic algorithm was developed. The discussion revealed the superiority of using this new powerful algorithm over the well-known genetic algorithm. Moreover, different statistical tests were performed and no significant differences were found between all the models regarding their predictabilities. This ensures that simpler and faster models were obtained without any deterioration of the quality of the calibration. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Item Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy Volume 273, 15 May 2022, 121036 The power of High Impact Amplitude Manipulation (HIAM) technique for extracting the basic spectra of two Fixed-dose combinations (FDC) -Spectrophotometric purity analysis via spectral contrast angle(Elsevier, 01/05/2022) Saleh, Sarah S; Lotfy, Hayam M; Tiris, Gizem; Erk, Nevin; El-Naem, Omnia AHIAM technique allows the extraction of the original constant signal of each single component out of interference signals of a mixture and further transformed into basic spectrum (D0). It includes the methods: ratio subtraction coupled with unified constant subtraction (RS-UCS), constant center (CC) and constant extraction (CE). The technique was introduced for the analysis of two pharmaceutical formulations used to treat cardiovascular diseases. The formulations are binary combinations of Amlodipine (AML) with either Atorvastatin (ATR) or Candesartan (CND) which shows interefernce absorbance signals. The technique was valid over the linearity range of (5.0–35.0 µg/ml) for AML, ATR and CND with recovery percentage 100.40 ± 1.88 , 100.00 ± 0.86 and 99.83 ± 1.07, respectively . The extracted signals were tested for its purity by spectral contrast angle (cos θ) to illustrate the efficency of the HIAM technique where cos θ values ranges from (0.9902 to 0.9986). The presented technique was fully validated regarding ICH guidelines and were statistically compared using one-way ANOVA at 95% confidenceItem Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Water and Sediment Nile Microbial Community Along an Urban Metropolis(Springer, 01/08/2021) Eraqi, Walaa A.; ElRakaiby, Marwa T; Megahed, Salwa A; Yousef, Noha H.; Elshahed, Mostafa S.; Yassin, Aymen SAssessing microbial identity, diversity, and community structure could be a valuable tool for monitoring the impact of xenobiotics and anthropogenic inputs in rivers, especially in urban and industrial settings. Here, we characterize the Nile River microbial communityinwater and sediments insummerandwinteratfivelocations thatspanits natural flow through the Cairo metropolis. 16SrRNAgenedatasetswereanalyzedtoidentifytherole playedbysampletype(sedimentversuswater),season,andlocationin shaping the community, as well as to predict functional potential of the Nile River microbiome. Microbial communities were mostly influenced by sampling type (sediments versus water), while seasonal effects were only observed in water samples. Spatial differences did not represent a significant factor in shaping the community in either summer or winter seasons. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in both water and sediment samples, with the order Betaproteobacteriales being the abundant one. Chloroflexi and Bacteroidetes were also prevalent in sediment samples, while Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria were abundant in water samples. The linear discriminative analysis effect size (LEfSe) identified the cyanobacterial genus Cyanobium PCC-6307 as the main variable between summer and winter water. Sequences representing human and animal potential pathogens, as well as toxin-producing Cyanobacteria, were identified in low abundance within the Nile microbiome. Functionally predicted metabolic pathways predicted the presence of antibiotic biosynthesis, as well as aerobic xenobiotic degradation pathways in the river microbiome.Item Evaluation of the hepatoprotective activity of Pulicaria incisa subspecies candolleana and in silico screening of its isolated phenolics(Elsevier, 01/12/2021) Bakr, Riham O; Shahat, Esraa A; Elissawy, Ahmed E; Fayez, Ahmed M; Eldahshan, Omayma AEthnopharmacological relevance Pulicaria incisa sub. candolleana E. Gamal-Eldin (Asteraceae) was traditionally used by Bedouins as a refreshing tea and as hypoglycemic, in gastrointestinal ailments, sinusitis and headache. Recently a great correlation has been established between liver cirrhosis and gastrointestinal dysfunction reflected by abdominal bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, besides decreased food intake. So far, the hepatoprotective effect of P. incisa sub. candolleana E. Gamal-Eldin was not studied before although other Pulicaria species have previously shown hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects. Aim of the study In this study, we aimed to identify the phytochemical constituents of the P. incisa sub. candolleana E. Gamal-Eldin hydroethanolic extract (PICE), as well as to evaluate the hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in methotrexate (MTX)- intoxicated rats. Besides, the molecular interaction between the isolated compounds and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and phospholipase 2 (PLA-2) were assessed by in-silico screening. Material and Methods The main phytoconstituents were characterized using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) aided by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were also used to isolate the major phenolics from the hydroethanolic extract. Their structures were elucidated using different spectroscopic analysis methods, including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS). The hepatoprotective activity of three doses (100, 250, 500 mg/kg) of PICE in MTX-intoxicated rats was assessed and compared to silymarin as a standard. Additionally, in silico docking study on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and phospholipase 2 (PLA-2) was performed to justify the anti-inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds. Results Thirteen compounds were tentatively identified, including flavonoids and phenolic acids. Four main isolated compounds were identified as, eugenol-1-O-β-glucoside, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3, 5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid and quercetin-3-O-β-glucoside. Treatment of MTX-intoxicated rats with the 250 mg/kg extract reversed the altered levels of biochemical markers of liver damage, ameliorated the oxidant status and reduced the inflammatory mediators, similar to treatment with silymarin. Quercetin-3-O-β-glucoside showed the best docking energy score of -19.12 kcal/mol against COX-2, forming four binding interactions with residues Leu 353, Arg 121, Tyr 356 and Ala 528, followed by 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (-18.01 kcal/mol). Conclusion This study reveals P. incisa sub. candolleana as a rich source of phenolics including flavonoids, supporting its anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects and suggesting its usage as a promising candidate in inflammatory conditions.Item Methimazole in the treatment of melasma: A clinical and dermascopic study(Matrix Medical Communications, 02/01/2021) Farag, A; Hammam, M; Alnaidany, N; Badr, E; Elshaib, M; El-Swah, A; Shehata, WBACKGROUND: Melasma is a chronic hypermelanotic disorder that is challenging to treat; no single effective therapeutic agent for it has been discovered. Methimazole, an oral antithyroid drug, has a skin depigmenting effect when used topically. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of methimazole, applied during microneedling sessions and additional topical use in between sessions, in the treatment of melasma. METHODS: This split-face study included 30 Egyptian patients with melasma, each of whom received 12 microneedling sessions once per week for 12 weeks followed by topical methimazole on the right side of face and placebo on the left side. In between the sessions, topical methimazole 5% cream was applied twice per day on the right side and placebo on the left side. Assessments were performed using the Hemi-melasma Area and Severity Index (hemi-MASI) percentage of improvement, patient satisfaction, dermoscopy, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) serum levels. RESULTS: There were significant clinical and dermoscopic improvements; hemi-MASI scores on the methimazole-treated right sides were decreased (p<0.001). The percent of hemi-MASI score improvement was significantly associated with the malar pattern (p=0.031) and epidermal type (p=0.04) of melasma. About 70 percent of our studied patients reported being satisfied with their treatment response (7% excellent, 33% good, 30% fair). No significant local or systemic side effects were observed. Pre- and posttreatment serum TSH levels were within the normal range in all treated cases. CONCLUSIONS: Methimazole has the potential to be a safe and promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of melasma via dermapen-delivered microneedling sessions with topical use in between sessions. © 2021 Matrix Medical Communications. All rights reserved.Item The metabolomic analysis of fiveMenthaspecies: cytotoxicity, anti-Helicobacterassessment, and the development of polymeric micelles for enhancing the anti-Helicobacteractivity(Royal Society of Chemistry, 02/12/2021) Bakr, R.O; Tawfike, A; El-Gizawy, H.A; Tawfik, N; Abdelmohsen, U.R; Abdelwahab, M.F; Alshareef, W.A; Fayez, S.M; El-Mancy, S.M.S; El-Fishawy, A.M; Abdelkawy, M.A; Fayed, M.A.AMenthaspecies are medicinally used worldwide and remain attractive for research due to the diversity of their phytoconstituents and large therapeutic indices for various ailments. This study used the metabolomics examination of fiveMenthaspecies (M. suaveolens,M. sylvestris,M. piperita,M. longifolia, andM. viridis) to justify their cytotoxicity and their anti-Helicobactereffects. The activities of species were correlated with their phytochemical profiles by orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Tentatively characterized phytoconstituents using liquid chromatography high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-HR-ESI-MS) included 49 compounds: 14 flavonoids, 10 caffeic acid esters, 7 phenolic acids, and other constituents.M. piperitashowed the highest cytotoxicity to HepG2 (human hepatoma), MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), and CACO2 (human colon adenocarcinoma) cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. OPLS-DA and dereplication studies predicted that the cytotoxic activity was related to benzyl glucopyranoside-sulfate, a lignin glycoside. Furthermore,M. viridiswas effective in suppressing the growth ofHelicobacter pyloriat a concentration of 50 mg mL−1. OPLS-DA predicted that this activity was related to a dihydroxytrimethoxyflavone.M. viridisextract was formulated with Pluronic® F127 to develop polymeric micelles as a nanocarrier that enhanced the anti-Helicobacteractivity of the extract and provided minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of 6.5 and 50 mg mL−1, respectively. This activity was also correlated to tentatively identified constituents, including rosmarinic acid, catechins, carvone, and piperitone oxide. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021Item FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF NOVEL BRAIN TARGETING DRUG LOADED IN LIPID-BASED NANOPARTICLES THROUGH INTRANASAL ROUTE FOR ALZHEIMER(irjponline, 03/01/2019) Elaty Mostafa, Dalia A.; Mostafa Hashad, Amira; Youssef M. Abdelreheem, AmalObjective: Alzheimer's disease is a slowly progressive disease that takes 7 to 10 years from onset to death. Design and development of different lipidbased drug delivery systems (Niosomes) loaded with rivastigmine tartarate is used to solve the problem of the extensive rapid metabolism of rivastigmine. Niosomes as a nanocarriers of rivastigmine will increase its bioavailability and brain targeting. Methods: Niosomes are prepared using Hand Shaking Method (Thin Film Hydration Technique). Span 60 and cholesterol are dissolved in organic mix solvent, until forming clear solution in a round bottom flask. Then, the solvent is evaporated under decreased pressure, temperature and 70 rpm in a rotary evaporator leaving solid surfactant and cholesterol as thin film formed on the wall of the flask. This layer is then rehydrated by using aqueous solution containing drug with continuous shaking which cause swelling of surfactant layer. Swelled amphiphiles eventually fold and form vesicles that could entrap the drug. The Prepared nanoparticles were characterized for pH, particle size, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency and in vitro release study. Results The average particle size was 100.7 nm with polydispersity index of 0.232. The zeta potential of the optimized formulation F2 was determined and found to be -19 mV. Surface properties of the nanoparticles were studied by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticles found to have smooth surface. The Drug entrapment efficiency was found to be in between 83.5 to 86.53% indicated fairly good drug loading in the formulations indicated increased bioavailability of the drug. optimized formulation F2 showed 60 % drug release in 240 minutes indicate sustained release of drug. Conclusion: Rivastigmine could be prepared as a novel niosomes systems to enhance its bioavailabilityItem Potential therapeutic and pharmacological strategies for SARS-CoV2(Springer, 03/05/2021) Ghareeb, Doaa A; Saleh, Samar R; Nofal, Mohammed S; Kaddah, Mohamed M. Y; Hassan, Salma. F; Seif, Inas K; El-Zahaby, Sally A; Khedr, Shaimaa M; Kenawy, Marwa Y; Masoud, Aliaa A; Soudi, Salma A; Sobhy, Ahmed A; Sery, Jaillan G; Abd El-Wahab, Miral G; Abd Elmoneam, Alshimaa A; Al-mahallawi, Abdulaziz Mohsen; El-Demellawy, Maha ABackground At the end of 2019, the new Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) strain causing severe acute respiratory syndrome swept the world. From November 2019 till February 2021, this virus infected nearly 104 million, with more than two million deaths and about 25 million active cases. This has prompted scientists to discover efective drugs to combat this pandemic. Area covered Drug repurposing is the magic bullet for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2). Therefore, several drugs have been investigated in silico, in vitro, as well as through human trials such as antiSARS-CoV2 agents, or to prevent the complications resulting from the virus. In this review, the mechanisms of action of diferent therapeutic strategies are summarized. According to the WHO, diferent classes of drugs can be used, including anti-malarial, antiviral, anti-infammatory, and anti-coagulant drugs, as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, antibiotics, vitamins, zinc, neutralizing antibodies, and convalescent plasma therapy. Recently, there are some vaccines which are approved against SARS-CoV2. Expert opinion A complete understanding of the structure and function of all viral proteins that play a fundamental role in viral infection, which contribute to the therapeutic intervention and the development of vaccine in order to reduce the mortality rate.Item Important antihistaminic plants and their potential role in health(Elsevier, 03/05/2021) Salem, Mohamed A; Zayed, Ahmed; Ezzat, Shahira MAllergic diseases such as allergic asthma, hay fever, dermatitis, food, and drug allergies have increased tremendously in the last decade with increased morbidity. The current antihistaminic drugs have some limitations in terms of safety and efficacy. Most of the allergic conditions are chronic and long-term therapy is essential. Therefore, most allergic patients seek better alternatives to synthetic antihistaminic agents. Several plants and their derived natural products have been reported as effective, safe, and cheap antiallergic agents. Additionally, several plant-derived formulas have reached the clinical trials as safe antiallergic, with similar mechanisms to synthetics drugs. In this chapter, we highlighted the relevant use of plants from folk medicine or scientific-based evidence for natural antiallergic drugs. Special emphasis is given on the natural compounds with reported antiallergic activity.Item Psychoactive plants and phytochemicals(Elsevier, 03/05/2021) Salem, Mohamed A; Zayed, Ahmed; Ezzat, Shahira MCentral nervous system disorders such as anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s occur as a result of the imbalance of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine (Ach), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and/or γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Such disorders may lead to emotional changes as well as impaired cognitive functions. Plants have been the predominant source of medicines throughout the vast majority of human history and remain so today outside of industrialized societies. Many plants are known for their anxiolytic, antidepressant, and memory-enhancing properties. Moreover, phytoconstituents, particularly alkaloids, have proven effectiveness as psychoactive lead drugs. In this chapter, we will have an overview of the most important psychoactive, neuroprotective, and antidepressant plants and phytoconstituents with emphasis on their mechanism of action.Item Effects of different drying techniques on the quality and bioactive compounds of plant-based products: a critical review on current trends(Taylor and Francis, 03/05/2022) Belwal, Tarun; Cravotto, Christian; Prieto, M. A; Venskutonis, Petras Rimantas; Daglia, Maria; Devkota, Hari Prasad; Baldi, Alessandra; Ezzat, Shahira Mohammed; Gomez-G omez j, Lourdes; Salamah, Maha Mahmoudk; Camponel, Luca; Rastrelli, Luca; Echave, J; Jafari, Seidel Mahdi; Cravotto, GiancarloDrying is one of the foremost and important steps during the processing of agricultural crops, medicinal plants and herbs to preserve their properties. The present review provides a detailed overview regarding the effect of drying techniques on the physio-chemical prop- erties (microstructure, color, aroma composition) and bioactive compounds (phenolic com- pounds, carotenoids, essential oils, etc.) of plant materials. Factors affecting different drying processes and their optimization strategies have also been discussed. Furthermore, current trends in the development of drying techniques for plant materials in terms of the retention of their bioactive compounds are critically analyzed. Based on the published research articles, oven drying, and microwave drying are the preferable techniques for most plant parts; while for drying the plant extract, freeze/spray drying methods have gained higher interest. Finally, recommendations are made considering the better use of drying techniques for both plant materials and retention of their bioactive compounds.Item Influence of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dot and Silver Nanoparticle Modified Carbon Paste Electrodes on the Potentiometric Determination of Tobramycin Sulfate: A Comparative Study(MDPI, 03/07/2021) Fares, Nermine V; Medhat, Passant M; El Maraghy, Christine M; Okeil, Sherif; Ayad, Miriam FTwo inexpensive and simple methods for synthesis of carbon nanodots were applied and compared to each other, namely a hydrothermal and microwave-assisted method. The synthesized carbon nanodots were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultravioletvisible (UV-Vis), photoluminescence (PL), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The synthesized microwave carbon nanodots had smaller particle size and were thus chosen for better electrochemical performance. Therefore, they were used for our modification process. The proposed electrodes performance characteristics were evaluated according to the IUPAC guidelines, showing linear response in the concentration range 1006–1002 , 1007–10 2 , and 1008–1002 M of tobramycin with a Nernstian slope of 52.60, 58.34, and 57.32 mV/decade for the bare, silver nanoparticle and carbon nanodots modified carbon paste electrodes, respectively. This developed potentiometric method was used for quantification of tobramycin in its co-formulated dosage form and spiked human plasma with good recovery percentages and without interference of the co-formulated drug loteprednol etabonate and excipients.Item Influence of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dot and Silver Nanoparticle Modified Carbon Paste Electrodes on the Potentiometric Determination of Tobramycin Sulfate: A Comparative Study(Chemosensors, 03/07/2021) Fares, Nermine V.; Medhat, Passant M.; El Maraghy, Christine M.; Okeil, Sherif; Ayad, Miriam F.Two inexpensive and simple methods for synthesis of carbon nanodots were applied and compared to each other, namely a hydrothermal and microwave-assisted method. The synthesized carbon nanodots were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultravioletvisible (UV-Vis), photoluminescence (PL), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The synthesized microwave carbon nanodots had smaller particle size and were thus chosen for better electrochemical performance. Therefore, they were used for our modification process. The proposed electrodes performance characteristics were evaluated according to the IUPAC guidelines, showing linear response in the concentration range 106–102, 107–102, and 108–102 M of tobramycin with a Nernstian slope of 52.60, 58.34, and 57.32 mV/decade for the bare, silver nanoparticle and carbon nanodots modified carbon paste electrodes, respectively. This developed potentiometric method was used for quantification of tobramycin in its co-formulated dosage form and spiked human plasma with good recovery percentages and without interference of the co-formulated drug loteprednol etabonate and excipients.Item A Unique Acylated Flavonol Glycoside from Prunus persica (L.) var. Florida Prince: A New Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Cosmeceutical Formulation for Skincare(MDPI, 03/12/2021) Mostafa, Eman S; Maher, Ahmed; Mostafa, Dalia A; Gad, Sameh S; Nawwar, Mahmoud A.M; Swilam, NohaMDPI Open Access Journals zoom_out_map search menu Journals Antioxidants Volume 10 Issue 3 10.3390/antiox10030436 antioxidants-logo Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Edit a Special Issue ► Article Menu Open AccessArticle A Unique Acylated Flavonol Glycoside from Prunus persica (L.) var. Florida Prince: A New Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Cosmeceutical Formulation for Skincare by Eman S. Mostafa 1,*,Ahmed Maher 2,*OrcID,Dalia A. Mostafa 3OrcID,Sameh S. Gad 4OrcID,Mahmoud A.M. Nawwar 5 andNoha Swilam 6OrcID 1 Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University of Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza 12451, Egypt 2 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza 12451, Egypt 3 Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University of Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza 12451, Egypt 4 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza 12451, Egypt 5 National Research Centre, Department of Phytochemistry, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt 6 Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt (BUE), Cairo 11837, Egypt * Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed. Academic Editors: Alfredo Aires and Yong Chool Boo Antioxidants 2021, 10(3), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10030436 Received: 24 February 2021 / Revised: 6 March 2021 / Accepted: 8 March 2021 / Published: 12 March 2021 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolics as Antioxidant Agents) View Full-Text Download PDF Browse Figures Citation Export Abstract Polyphenols are known dietary antioxidants. They have recently attracted considerable interest in uses to prevent skin aging and hyperpigmentation resulting from solar UV-irradiation. Prunus persica (L.) leaves are considered by-products and were reported to have a remarkable antioxidant activity due to their high content of polyphenols. This study aimed at the development of a cosmeceutical anti-aging and skin whitening cream preparation using ethanol leaves extract of Prunus persica (L.) (PPEE) loaded in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to enhance the skin delivery. Chemical investigation of PPEE showed significantly high total phenolic and flavonoids content with notable antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, and β-carotene assays). A unique acylated kaempferol glycoside with a rare structure, kaempferol 3-O-β-4C1-(6″-O-3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetyl glucopyranoside) (KDPAG) was isolated for the first time and its structure fully elucidated. It represents the first example of acylation with 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid in flavonoid chemistry. The in-vitro cytotoxicity studies against a human keratinocytes cell line revealed the non-toxicity of PPEE and PPEE-SLNs. Moreover, PPEE, PPEE-SLNs, and KDPAG showed good anti-elastase activity, comparable to that of N-(Methoxysuccinyl)-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-chloromethyl ketone. Besides, PPEE-SLNs and KDPAG showed significantly (p < 0.001) higher anti-collagenase and anti-tyrosinase activities in comparison to EDTA and kojic acid, respectively. Different PPEE-SLNs cream formulae (2% and 5%) were evaluated for possible anti-wrinkle activity against UV-induced photoaging in a mouse model using a wrinkle scoring method and were shown to offer a highly significant protective effect against UV, as evidenced by tissue biomarkers (SOD) and histopathological studies. Thus, the current study demonstrates that Prunus persica leaf by-products provide an interesting, valuable resource for natural cosmetic ingredients. This provides related data for further studying the potential safe use of PPEE-SLNs in topical anti-aging cosmetic formulations with enhanced skin permeation propertiesItem Aerosol Delivery Through an Adult High-Flow Nasal Cannula Circuit Using Low-Flow Oxygen(DAEDALUS ENTERPRISES INC, 04/01/2019) Abdelrahim, ME; Rabea, H; Elberry, AA; Fathy, M; Madney, YMBACKGROUND: There has been a growing trend toward delivering aerosolized medications using high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC). In some cases, patients who do not require high-flow oxygen to maintain adequate oxygenation may benefit from aerosol delivery while receiving low-flow oxygen via HFNC. The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the relative pulmonary and systemic delivery of salbutamol, with 2 different nebulizers, in patients with COPD receiving low-flow oxygen therapy through an HFNC. METHODS: Subjects were randomized to receive study doses of 5 mg salbutamol nebulized by either a jet nebulizer or a vibrating mesh nebulizer with a T-piece or spacer on days 1, 3, and 5 of admission. Subjects using the large spacer also received 2 puffs (100 mu g each) of salbutamol via a pressurized metered-dose-inhaler prior to the nebulizer dose. Urinary salbutamol excretion 30 min post-inhalation and pooled samples of urinary salbutamol excretion up to 24 h post-inhalation were measured. On day 2, ex vivo studies were performed with salbutamol collected on filters placed between the HFNC and nebulizer, with drug eluted from filters and analyzed to determine inhaled dose. RESULTS: Twelve subjects (6 females), age 51.3 +/- 11.2 y, were included. The vibrating mesh nebulizer demonstrated higher urinary salbutamol excretion at 30 min and 24 h post-inhalation compared to a jet nebulizer (P =.001 and P =.02, respectively). No significant difference was found between the T-piece and large-spacer configurations, even though the spacer provided a significantly larger emitted aerosol dose at the opening of the HFNC (P =.002). CONCLUSIONS: Aerosolized medication could be efficiently combined with low-flow oxygen, via HFNC, in COPD subjects without the need to interrupt the gas supply. The vibrating mesh nebulizer delivered larger doses to subjects compared to the jet nebulizer. However, there was no benefit of using the large spacer with HFNC in low-flow delivery, because the small inner diameter of the HFNC does not allow larger aerosol droplet sizes (preserved by the spacer) to reach the subject.