Improving Bioavailability of Gallic Acid and Quercetin by Designing Polymeric Nanoparticle Formulation

Objective The pharmacokinetic properties of encapsulated polyherbal nanoparticles (Gallic acid and quercetin nanoparticle) and polyherbal extract (Amla and pomegranate fruit peels) in normal and DMH-induced colorectal cancer in rats was examined in this work. Method Polyherbal nanoparticles such as Gallic acid isolated from amla fruit and quercetin from pomegranate peel extract formulated into polymeric nanoparticle by using probe sonicator and high pressure homogenization. Result In normal and DMH-induced rats, a pharmacokinetic study demonstrated that polyherbal nanoparticles had a typical sustained release profile with a 2-fold increase in bioavailability when compared to polyherbal extract. Based on serum–concentration profiles of polyherbal nanoparticles and polyherbal extract following oral administration, the pharmacokinetic parameters for polyherbal nanoparticles and polyherbal extract were established using a single compartmental approach. Conclusion This research suggests that encapsulating gallic acid and quercetin in polymeric nanoparticles improves oral bioavailability than polyherbal extract of amla and pomegranate peel. Polymeric nanoparticles could be a novel therapeutic possibility for carcinogenesis prevention.

Study of the effect of treatment with pomegranate peel extract on the microbial load of coated Awassi lambs' meat samples when preserved by freezing: دراسة تأثير المعاملة بمستخلص قشور الرّمان على الحمولة الميكروبية لعينات لحم حملان العواس المغلّفة عند حفظها بالتجميد

In this study, the effect on the microorganism counts and the changes of this microbial load on the meat of Awassi lambs were studied after being packed and stored for 6 months under freezing conditions (-18 C) through treatment with pomegranate peel extract. The research tests were conducted in the laboratories of the Food Science Department at the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering in Deir Ezzor. The results of the microbial load counts showed significant differences in the numbers of intermediate thermophilic anaerobic bacteria between the samples treated with the extract and the control samples during the storage period. Significant differences were also observed in the numbers of E. coli bacteria, and the samples treated with concentration (1.5%) were the least numbered compared to samples treated with other concentrations. The average logarithm of the numbers of E. coli bacteria in the meat of Awassi lambs decreased from (7.74, 7.45, 6.64) in The beginning of the storage period to (3.72, 2.54, 1.21) at the end, when using pomegranate peel extract concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5%) respectively. The average logarithm of the number of bacteria Pseudomonas according to the concentration of the extract (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%) from (11.07, 11.02, 10.46) at the beginning of the storage period to (7.12, 6.23, 2.98) at the end of the storage period, respectively, as for the control samples. (Other than the treatment with the extract), the number of bacteria increased in an insignificant way.

The Application of Pomegranate, Sugar Apple, and Eggplant Peel Extracts Suppresses Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxin B1 Biosynthesis Pathway

Even though the green revolution was a significant turning point in agriculture, it was also marked by the widespread use of chemical pesticides, which prompted severe concerns about their influence on human and environmental health. As a result, the demand for healthier and more environmentally friendly alternatives to control plant diseases and avoid food spoilage is intensifying. Among the proposed alternatives, food by-product extracts, especially from the most consumed fruits in Egypt, eggplant, sugar apple, and pomegranate peel wastes, were largely ignored. Hence, we chose them to evaluate their antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activities against maize fungus, Aspergillus flavus. All the extracts exhibited multiple degrees of antifungal growth and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) inhibitory activities (35.52% to 91.18%) in broth media. Additionally, diethyl ether 50% eggplant, ethanol 75% sugar apple, and diethyl ether 25% pomegranate extracts exhibited the highest AFB1 inhibition, of 96.11%, 94.85%, and 78.83%, respectively, after one month of treated-maize storage. At the same time, Topsin fungicide demonstrated an AFB1 inhibition ratio of 72.95%. The relative transcriptional levels of three structural and two regulatory genes, aflD, aflP, aflQ, aflR, and aflS, were downregulated compared to the infected control. The phenolic content (116.88 mg GAEs/g DW) was highest in the 25% diethyl ether pomegranate peel extract, while the antioxidant activity was highest in the 75% ethanol sugar apple extract (94.02 µg/mL). The most abundant active compounds were found in the GC-MS analysis of the fruit peel extracts: α-kaurene, α-fenchene, p-allylphenol, octadecanoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxy phenol, hexestrol, xanthinin, and linoleic acid. Finally, the three fruit peel waste extracts could be a prospective source of friendly ecological compounds that act as environmentally safer and more protective alternatives to inhibit AFB1 production in maize storage.

Ethanol Extract of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Peel in Increasing the Expression of Caspase-3 in DSS-Induced Mice

Background. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignancy derived from the glandular epithelial cells in the colon. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more likely to develop CRC. Cancer proliferation is characterized by the loss of inhibition of apoptosis, which involves caspase-3 activation. This study examined the effects of the pomegranate peel extract on the expression of caspase-3 in mice crypt cells induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) 2%. Methods. The experimental study was done in six groups. All treatments were done in 42 days. The groups were all induced by DSS through water drinking, except for the normal group, which was only given water. The treatments given included the pomegranate extract in two doses (240 mg and 480 mg/kg bw/day), aspirin, and ellagic acid. The specimens were then fixated and stained for the immunohistochemistry scoring for the expression of caspase-3, which was then analyzed statistically. Results. The H-scores of each treatment group were 213.23 ± 8.32 (DSS group), 243.81 ± 18.69 (normal group), 226.10 ± 12.38 (pomegranate peel extract of 240 mg/kg/d), 238.84 ± 15.81 (pomegranate peel extract of 480 mg/kg/d), 227.47 ± 12.15 (aspirin), and 224.01 ± 18.39 (ellagic acid). Statistical differences were found in one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc analysis among the DSS group, normal group, and dose 2 group (pomegranate peel extract of 480 mg/kg/day). Conclusions. The ethanol extract of pomegranate was able to induce apoptosis, which was demonstrated by the increase of caspase-3 expression.

Green and Chemical Silver Nanoparticles and Pomegranate Formulations to Heal Infected Wounds in Diabetic Rats

Infected cutaneous ulcers from diabetic rats with Candida albicans and Streptococcus aureus were treated with spray formulations containing green silver nanoparticles (GS), chemical silver nanoparticles (CS), or pomegranate peel extract (PS). After wound development and infection, the treatments were performed twice per day for 14 days. The wound healing was analyzed on days 2, 7, and 14 through the determination of CFUs, inflammatory infiltrate, angiogenesis, fibroplasia, myeloperoxidase, and collagen determination. Expressive improvement in wound healing was noted using both silver nanoparticles for 7 days. All the treatments were superior to controls and promoted significant S. aureus reduction after 14 days. CS presented better anti-inflammatory results, and GS and CS the highest number of fibroblasts. Despite the techniques’ limitations, GS and CS demonstrated considerable potential for managing infected wounds, especially considering no early strategies prior to the drugs, such as the debridement of these wounds, were included.