Progress in Chemical and Biochemical Research
Volume:2 Issue: 2, May 2019

In this study, the preferential solvation of Mordant Black and Solochrome Dark Blue were investigated in mixed solvent systems of aqueous methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol, methanol: ethanol, methanol:propan-1-ol, methanol:propan-2-ol, ethanol:propan-1-ol, ethanol:propan-2-ol, propan-1-ol:propan-2-ol and carbon tetrachloride: dimethylformamide. Results showed a deviation of solvation data from ideality over the majority of composition ranges in all the solvent mixtures. The type and contribution of specific and non-specific solute-solvent interactions were analyzed in the framework of the linear solvation energy relationships. Statistical analysis of single, dual, and multiparametric equations revealed that in pure solvents, spectral behaviours of MB and SDB were affected by the polarity and basicity of the solvent milieu respectively. However in aqueous alcohols, polarity of the solvent milieu was the most significant determinant of spectral patterns with α and β parameters playing secondary contributory roles in the spectral changes of MB and SDB, respectively. Multiparametric equations generally yielded the best fitted model in mixed alcohol systems with polarity remaining the largest contributor, followed by β and α of the solvent milieu in that order. Spectral-structure relationships identified ion-dipole interactions involving the charged sulphonate and hydrazone moieties as well as proton-donor-acceptor interactions of the common labile hydroxyl groups as mechanisms for the observed solvation data.

Human epidermal keratinocyte cells are the first defence blocks against the aggressive agents such as pathogens and xenobiotic materials. Synthesis process of the cellular proteins can be affected by abiotic stresses (aBS like: SiO2 nanoparticles) and biotic stresses (BS like: Virus), leading to the alteration of consumed energy profiles of proteins. The consumed energy profile of each protein was calculated based on their consumed ATP during the amino acids synthesizing procedure. Cells consumed more ATP, more energy, to synthesize more proteins under BS conditions compare to aBS conditions. Our results suggested that, the cells infected by pathogens are tend to survive longer than the treated cells by xenobiotic materials. Our data analysis revealed that the most energy reduction took place under aBS conditions. So, aBS could have severe effect on energy production pathways and decrease the energy source of cells. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the complexity of cellular protein networks under aBS conditions were more than BS conditions. It seems the cellular energy reduction under aBS conditions is one of the important factors in cell death. In addition, the position of proteins in the protein network was another important factor that should be carefully considered.

In this work, we have reported the preparation of pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine dione derivatives by the tandem Knoevenagel-Michael-cyclocondensation reaction of malononitrile, various aldehydes and barbituric acid derivatives at the presence of isonicotinic acid as an efficient organocatalyst.

In this study, stem bark of Crossopteryx febrifuga (Rubiaceae), a traditional medicinal, plant used for treatment of various diseases. The diseases was phytochemically screened by cold maceration using hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts. Results revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, and phytosterols. Separation and purification of the ethyl acetate extracts by column chromatography (CC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) and characterization with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analyses, led to isolation of spinasterol, established on the basis of both 13C and 1H NMR spectral data and by comparison with literature. It was also confirmed that, spinasterol cures diabetes by reducing serum triglycerides. This is the first report on isolation of spinasterol from the stem bark of Crossopteryx febrfuga.

Melastomastrum capitatum is a plant whose leaf extract is popularly known for its ability to cure cancer of the ovary in Mambila plateau towns in Nigeria. Apart from the leaves, the root extract has been used to manage various diseases such as bacterial infections, pains, and diabetes. As a result of these health benefits, liver and vital organ damage are often associated with short (acute) or long (subchronic) intake of this plant decoction in  traditional medicines. This present study was carried out to determine short and long (subchronic)  terms effect of the root aqueous extract for the treatment of diseases especially diabetes by the Fulani tribe in Mambila plateau in Taraba State, Nigeria. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies were carried out following the guidelines stipulated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In the acute toxicity study, a limit test dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight (b.w) of aqueous root extract was administered by oral route into five Swiss albino mice consisting of five groups of one mouse per group. Observations were carefully made for signs of toxicity for the first 4 hours and then once daily for 2 weeks. A lower dose of 300 mg/kg b.w administered to the mice do not show any sign of acute toxicity unlike the higher dose which produced signs such a reddish eyes, itching and restlessness which last only a few minutes of extract administration. Subchronic toxicity study revealed that root extract of the plant is slightly toxic as had shown by results of most of blood parameters investigated such as WBC, PCV, ALT, AST, ALP, serum electrolytes, etc.  However, our results showed that root aqueous extract of M. capitatum is well tolerated at the doses investigated as there was no major damage to vital organs like the liver, kidney and heart of the animals. The study therefore showed that the root extract of the plant is safe for use as an ethnomedicinal prescription for diseases in traditional medicine.