Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potencies of Biomolecule

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Discovery, Development and Delivery".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 11 June 2025 | Viewed by 7422

Special Issue Editor

School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
Interests: biomaterial; nanocarriers; polymers; antibiotic resistance; the effects of natural or synthetic molecules on fungi and bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus; Candida albicans
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomolecules are currently being recognized for their antioxidant properties and antimicrobial potencies in the development of effective drug molecules for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. These biomolecules are further condensed to improve their site-specific activity and sustained release profile to reduce the repetition of drugs with respect to eliminating or reducing the toxicity of these molecules. In this regard, when examining the effects of these biomolecules on small animals such as mice/rats or microorganisms, the metabolomics and oxidative stress profile are important parameters to consider.

Dr. Vinit Raj
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biomolecules
  • metabolomics
  • oxidative stress levels
  • polymer
  • microorganisms
  • nanotechnology

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

42 pages, 112765 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Chemical Composition and Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anticoagulant, and Antidiabetic Properties of Pistacia lentiscus from Boulemane as a Natural Nutraceutical Preservative
by Aziz Drioiche, Atika Ailli, Firdaous Remok, Soukaina Saidi, Aman Allah Gourich, Ayoub Asbabou, Omkulthom Al Kamaly, Asmaa Saleh, Mohamed Bouhrim, Redouane Tarik, Amale Kchibale and Touriya Zair
Biomedicines 2023, 11(9), 2372; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11092372 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2386
Abstract
Pistacia lentiscus L. has traditionally been employed as a diuretic and stimulant in the treatment of hypertension. Our interest centered on analyzing the chemical profile of the plant’s leaves and its in vitro, in vivo, and in silico antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticoagulant, and antidiabetic [...] Read more.
Pistacia lentiscus L. has traditionally been employed as a diuretic and stimulant in the treatment of hypertension. Our interest centered on analyzing the chemical profile of the plant’s leaves and its in vitro, in vivo, and in silico antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticoagulant, and antidiabetic effects in order to valorize this species and prepare new high-value products that can be used in the agro-food and pharmaceutical industries. When this species’ essential oil was hydrodistilled and subjected to GC-MS analysis, the results showed that the principal components were germacrene D (17.54%), spathulenol (17.38%), bicyclogermacrene (12.52%), and terpinen-4-ol (9.95%). The extraction of phenolic compounds was carried out by decoction and Soxhlet. The determination of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins of aqueous and organic extracts by spectrophotometric methods demonstrated the richness of this species in phenolic compounds. Chromatographic analysis by HPLC/UV-ESI-MS of the aqueous extract of P. lentiscus revealed the presence of 3,5-di-O-galloyl quinic acid, gallic acid, and 3,4,5-tri-O-galloyl quinic acid specific to this species. The study of antioxidant activity by three methods (DPPH, FRAP, and Total Antioxidant Capacity) revealed that P. lentiscus is a very promising source of natural antioxidants. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and aqueous extract (E0) was studied by microdilution on the microplate. The results revealed the effectiveness of the aqueous extract compared to the essential oil against Gram-negative bacteria (K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, E. aerogenes, E. cloacae, P. fluorescence, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., and Y. enterolitica) and candidoses (C. krusei and C. albicans). The measurements of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of the aqueous extract (E0) can significantly prolong these tests from concentrations of 2.875 and 5.750 mg/mL, respectively. The antihyperglycemic effect of the aqueous extract (E0) showed a strong in vitro inhibitory activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase compared to acarbose. Thus, it significantly inhibited postprandial hyperglycemia in Wistar albino rats. The in-silico study of the major compounds of the essential oil and extract (E0) carried out using PASS, SwissADME, pkCSM, and molecular docking tools confirmed our in vitro and in vivo results. The studied compounds showed a strong ability to be absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and to passively diffuse through the blood-brain barrier, a similarity to drugs, and water solubility. Molecular docking experiments deduced the probable mode of action of the identified compounds on their respective target proteins, such as NADPH oxidase, thrombin, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. Furthermore, given the demonstrated antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticoagulant, and antidiabetic effects, we can affirm the richness of P. lentiscus in bioactive molecules and its use in traditional medicine as a source of preservative agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potencies of Biomolecule)
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15 pages, 3401 KiB  
Article
Atenolol Ameliorates Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Oxidative Stress Induced by Cast Immobilization in Rats
by Anand Kumar, Chaitany Jayprakash Raorane, Deepak Rawat, Priyanka Prajapati, Ritu Raj, Dinesh Kumar, Seong-Cheol Kim, Vinit Raj and Sapana Kushwaha
Biomedicines 2023, 11(5), 1269; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11051269 - 25 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2080
Abstract
(1) Background: Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common and debilitating condition associated with disease, bed rest, and inactivity. We aimed to investigate the effect of atenolol (ATN) on cast immobilization (IM)-induced skeletal muscle loss. (2) Methods: Eighteen male albino Wistar rats were divided [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common and debilitating condition associated with disease, bed rest, and inactivity. We aimed to investigate the effect of atenolol (ATN) on cast immobilization (IM)-induced skeletal muscle loss. (2) Methods: Eighteen male albino Wistar rats were divided into three groups: a control group, an IM group (14 days), and an IM+ATN group (10 mg/kg, orally for 14 days). After the last dose of atenolol, forced swimming test, rotarod test, and footprint analysis were performed, and skeletal muscle loss was determined. Animals were then sacrificed. Serum and gastrocnemius (GN) muscles were then collected, serum creatinine, GN muscle antioxidant, and oxidative stress levels were determined, and histopathology and 1H NMR profiling of serum metabolites were performed. (3) Results: Atenolol significantly prevented immobilization-induced changes in creatinine, antioxidant, and oxidative stress levels. Furthermore, GN muscle histology results showed that atenolol significantly increased cross-sectional muscle area and Feret’s diameter. Metabolomics profiling showed that glutamine-to-glucose ratio and pyruvate, succinate, valine, citrate, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, acetone, serine, and 3-hydroxybutyrate levels were significantly higher, that alanine and proline levels were significantly lower in the IM group than in the control group, and that atenolol administration suppressed these metabolite changes. (4) Conclusions: Atenolol reduced immobilization-induced skeletal muscle wasting and might protect against the deleterious effects of prolonged bed rest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potencies of Biomolecule)
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15 pages, 3104 KiB  
Article
Integration of Ultrastructural and Computational Approaches Reveals the Protective Effect of Astaxanthin against BPA-Induced Nephrotoxicity
by Refaat A. Eid, Muhammad Alaa Edeen, Mohamed A. Soltan, Mubarak Al-Shraim, Mohamed Samir A. Zaki, Saleh M. Al-Qahtani, Eman Fayad, Eman T. Salem, Waleed K. Abdulsahib, Hebatallah Emam and Hesham M. Hassan
Biomedicines 2023, 11(2), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11020421 - 1 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2177
Abstract
Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental contaminant that can induce deleterious organ effects. Human Cytochrome P450 CYP2C9 enzyme belongs to the essential xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, producing ROS as a byproduct. Astaxanthin (ATX) is a powerful antioxidant that protects organs and tissues from the [...] Read more.
Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental contaminant that can induce deleterious organ effects. Human Cytochrome P450 CYP2C9 enzyme belongs to the essential xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, producing ROS as a byproduct. Astaxanthin (ATX) is a powerful antioxidant that protects organs and tissues from the damaging effects of oxidative stress caused by various diseases. Aim of the study: This study investigated the possible protective impacts of ATX against BPA-induced nephrotoxicity and its underlying mechanism. Materials and methods: Kidney tissues were isolated and examined microscopically from control, protected, and unprotected groups of rats to examine the potential protective effect of ATX against nephrotoxicity. Moreover, a molecular dynamic (MD) simulation was conducted to predict the performance of ATX upon binding to the active site of P450 CYP2C9 protein receptor as a potential mechanism of ATX protective effect. Results: Implemented computational methods revealed the possible underlying mechanism of ATX protection; the protective impact of ATX is mediated by inhibiting P450 CYP2C9 through binding to its dimeric state where the RMSF value for apo-protein and ATX-complex system were 5.720.57 and 1.040.41, respectively, implicating the ATX-complex system to have lesser variance in its residues, leading to the prevention of ROS excess production, maintaining the oxidant-antioxidant balance and re-establishing the proper mitochondrial functionality. Furthermore, the experimental methods validated in silico outcomes and revealed that ATX therapy effectively restored the typical histological architecture of pathological kidney tissues. Conclusions: ATX prevents BPA-induced nephrotoxicity by controlling oxidative imbalance and reversing mitochondrial dysfunction. These outcomes shed new light on the appropriate use of ATX as a treatment or prophylactic agent for these severe conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potencies of Biomolecule)
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